Michael Porter Jr. and Egor Demin each had 22 points as the visiting Brooklyn Nets cruised past the defenseless New Orleans Pelicans 145-111.
It was the fifth time in franchise history the Nets (counting their time in New Jersey) scored 145 points in a game that didn’t go to overtime.
Shooting 66.7% from the floor in the first half, the Nets scored 83 points by the break, the third most in a half since the club arrived in Brooklyn.
Julius Randle put up 17 points as the Nets snapped a two-game losing streak, and Moritz Wagner and Noah Clowney each had 16 points off the bench. Every player who saw minutes for Brooklyn except for Josh Minott scored.
New Orleans lost its fourth game in a row, and it allowed at least 138 points in each of the past three. The Pelicans were coming off a franchise-record-worst regular-season loss, a 51-point setback against the Golden State Warriors on Monday.
Zion Williamson had 29 points in 30 minutes for New Orleans on Wednesday. Saddiq Bey scored 15, and Jeremiah Fears and Jordan Poole added 14 apiece.
The Pelicans led 5-3 after the first 90 seconds, but the rest of the half and game were dominated by the Nets.
Wagner drilled a 3-pointer early in the second quarter to make it 42-28 and then gestured toward current Pelicans coach Jamahl Mosley, Wagner’s former coach in Orlando. During the ensuing timeout, Mosley earned a technical foul for chirping back at Wagner.
Three Brooklyn players were in double figures at halftime. The Nets shot 8 of 16 from 3-point range in the half, 20 of 41 (48.8%) on the night. They made 57% from the floor for the game.
Brooklyn ended any doubt by opening the third quarter with an 8-0 run that included treys by Demin and Day’ron Sharpe to make the score 91-66.
The Nets played without first-round pick Mikel Brown Jr., who was sidelined due to an illness. Trey Murphy III sat out for New Orleans because of knee soreness.
