Rookie guard Nolan Traore took the spotlight once again for Brooklyn in their Sunday face-off against the Phoenix Suns in Macao, marking the second matchup of the NBA China Games. Following Friday’s exhilarating overtime match, both teams returned with a determination to settle the score.
The Suns came into this game with heightened focus and intensity, setting the stage for a tightly contested game that saw the Nets narrowly clinch a 111-109 victory. Michael Porter Jr. made a strong start, confidently shooting from distance, while Cam Thomas maintained his previous game’s momentum, scoring from all areas to propel Brooklyn’s quick offensive launch.
Still, the Nets struggled to contain Devin Booker, whose 3-for-3 start from beyond the arc helped the Suns build an early double-digit lead.
Midway through the first quarter, head coach Jordi Fernández made strategic substitutions, bringing in Ziaire Williams, Day’Ron Sharpe, Noah Clowney, and rookie Ben Saraf, while keeping Thomas as the offensive leader. Looking to boost their defense, Fernández called upon rookie Drake Powell, who stepped in for Tyrese Martin with the second lineup after making his preseason debut on Friday.
The Suns maintained their aggressive gameplay into the second quarter, extending their lead from 34-23 at the end of the first to 14 points early in the half. However, Sharpe’s robust rebound efforts and physical play ignited an 8-0 run to close the gap to six, prompting a timeout from the Suns with 6:28 on the clock.
Thomas brought Brooklyn closer with three free throws after drawing a foul from Dillon Brooks in the final 8.6 seconds of the half, reducing the gap to two at halftime. He was the leading scorer at that point, with 15 points, shooting 4-of-7 from the field and an impressive 7-of-8 from the line. Despite a shaky defensive start, Brooklyn ended the half on a high note.
Entering the second half, Traore faced challenges with Phoenix’s pressure, leading to three consecutive turnovers and four overall in his first 17 minutes. Saraf later took over in the third quarter, calming the offensive play with four assists during the period, ultimately achieving a game-high of 11 assists against just three turnovers in 22 minutes.
However, eight turnovers in the third quarter led to 12 points for the Suns, and Phoenix’s 57.1% shooting in the period created an 88–81 deficit for the Nets entering the fourth quarter.
Though Martin didn’t see the floor until the fourth quarter, he made the most of his opportunity, scoring nine quick points on perfect 3-for-3 shooting (2-for-2 from deep) in just five minutes. He capped the run with a three-point play off a sharp feed from rookie Danny Wolf to tie the game at 103 with 3:21 remaining.
After Jared Butler’s 3-pointer tied the game at 109 with 17.9 seconds left, Martin drew a foul on a deep shot on Brooklyn’s next possession and calmly sank two of three free throws to give the Nets a late edge. The Suns’ final full-court heave was deflected as time expired, sealing Brooklyn’s comeback win.
Thomas led the Nets with 16 points on 4-of-12 shooting, but once again it was the rookies who stole the spotlight. Despite Traore’s turnover troubles, Brooklyn got encouraging performances from its young core — including nine points and four assists from Wolf in just 12 minutes, along with another strong showing from Powell.
Brooklyn will wrap up its preseason schedule on Friday when it visits the Toronto Raptors.
Originally Published: October 12, 2025 at 10:27 AM EDT
