Nets stumble late without Michael Porter Jr., fall to Jazz as draft hopes grow
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The Brooklyn Nets surrendered a late lead on Thursday night, losing to the Utah Jazz after forward Michael Porter Jr. was unavailable. The defeat extended Brooklyn’s skid and, with the season’s midpoint approaching, improved the franchise’s odds of securing a higher pick in next year’s NBA Draft.
Brooklyn stayed competitive until the closing minutes but could not contain Utah’s final push. Porter Jr.’s absence left a scoring and rebounding void the Nets were unable to fill, and the Jazz capitalized down the stretch to seal the outcome.
While the immediate result added another mark in the loss column, it also moved the Nets closer to the bottom of the standings—an outcome that could translate into a more favorable draft-lottery position.
Source: New York Post