Since the Brooklyn Nets decided to move on from their superstar era, trading away Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the team has been stuck in a frustrating middle ground. They’re often near the bottom of the standings, hovering around lottery pick territory, but never quite landing a top selection that could give the franchise a true cornerstone player.
Even with some promising rookies from the most recent draft, Wednesday night’s game against the New York Knicks showed just how far the Nets have to go before they can even be considered a playoff threat. The team’s offense looked out of rhythm, misfiring at almost every turn, and the result was historically poor.
In the modern NBA, fast-paced offense and scoring are everything. Teams routinely hit 100 points or more each night, and scoring under that mark is rare and shocking. A decade ago, lower-scoring games were more common, with slower pace, stronger emphasis on defense, and a focus on two-point shots. But in 2026, the Nets’ 66-point performance felt like a blast from the past, for all the wrong reasons.
Brooklyn scored just 66 points in a 66-120 loss to the Knicks, marking the fewest points a team has scored in an NBA game since 2016, when the Dallas Mavericks managed 64 points in a 64-80 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Interestingly, the score mirrored another historical blowout a year earlier, when the Milwaukee Bucks also scored 66 points in a 66-120 loss to the Chicago Bulls.
For the Nets franchise, this was especially humiliating. The 66 points were the fewest the team has scored in a single game since 2005,over 20 years ago. Adding to the ignominy, Brooklyn set another franchise low by scoring only 28 points in the second half, the fewest points the team has ever put up in a half.
The loss was a stark reminder of how much work the Nets have ahead. The team is in transition, with young talent but no established superstar to carry them. For fans, Wednesday night was a painful glimpse into the struggles of a team still trying to rebuild and find its identity.
Until the Nets can develop their young core or land a franchise-changing player, games like this, historic low scores and blowout losses, are likely to continue. It’s a tough period for Brooklyn basketball, but the team’s future will depend on growth, patience, and the ability to turn potential into consistent results.
