The energy inside Barclays Center was weirdly tense for a Monday night. Brooklyn fans didn't quite know what to expect. On December 1, 2025, the Nets vs Hornets last game went down, and honestly, it felt like a crossroads for both franchises. While the headlines usually scream about the big names, this 116-103 victory for Brooklyn was defined by a guy many people outside of New York are still sleeping on: Michael Porter Jr.
He absolutely went off.
Thirty-five points. Seven rebounds. Seven triples. It wasn't just that he was scoring; it was how effortless it looked. Every time Charlotte tried to claw back into the game, Porter Jr. would rise up and bury a contested three that felt like a dagger to the chest. The Hornets, coming off a rough stretch, looked disorganized in the face of that kind of sharpshooting.
The Night the Nets Found Their Rhythm
It wasn't a fluke win. Brooklyn looked like a team that actually liked playing together for once. They improved to 4-16 with this win, which sounds grim if you look at the standings, but for those watching the tape, the chemistry was finally bubbling. The ball didn't stick. They were hunting for the extra pass.
Noah Clowney and Kon Knueppel both chipped in with 18 points apiece. That's huge. When your young core is contributing at that level, it takes the pressure off your primary scorers. Knueppel, in particular, has this high-IQ game that sort of reminds you of a veteran, even though he's still navigating the steep NBA learning curve. He finished with 6 rebounds and 4 assists, showing he's more than just a spot-up shooter.
Charlotte, meanwhile, struggled to find a secondary option.
Why the Hornets Couldn't Close the Gap
LaMelo Ball is always going to be the engine for Charlotte. He's flashy. He's fast. He's 100% the reason people buy tickets to see them at the Spectrum Center. But in the Nets vs Hornets last game, the supporting cast just wasn't there. The Hornets fell to 6-15 after the loss, and the frustration was visible on the court.
- Defensive Lapses: Brooklyn shot the lights out because Charlotte’s rotations were consistently a half-step slow.
- Bench Scoring: The Nets got 18 from Clowney; Charlotte’s bench didn't have that "spark plug" performance they desperately needed.
- Transition Defense: Brooklyn pushed the pace, and the Hornets' "young legs" looked surprisingly heavy.
It’s interesting. Most people expected Charlotte to be further along in their rebuild by now. Brandon Miller has been solid, and he’s clearly the future, but the bridge between "talented young team" and "winning team" is still under construction.
A History of Recent Clashes
To really understand why this game mattered, you have to look back at how these two have traded blows recently. It’s been a back-and-forth saga.
Earlier in the season, specifically on October 22, 2025, the Hornets actually blew the Nets out of the water. That was a 136-117 drubbing where Brandon Miller scored 25 points. It felt like Charlotte was going to be the surprise team of the East. In that opener, the Hornets had a franchise-record nine players in double digits. It was a clinic.
So, when the Nets hosted them in December, there was a definite "payback" vibe in the air. Brooklyn flipped the script. They tightened up the defense and limited those easy transition buckets that killed them in October.
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The stats tell part of the story, but the "eye test" tells the rest. Brooklyn looked more disciplined.
Key Performance Breakdown
| Player | Team | Points | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Porter Jr. | Nets | 35 | Pure shooting clinic; 7 threes. |
| Noah Clowney | Nets | 18 | Aggressive in the paint, 4 assists. |
| Kon Knueppel | Nets | 18 | High IQ play, filled the stat sheet. |
| LaMelo Ball | Hornets | N/A | High volume, but lacked late-game efficiency. |
Wait, let's talk about the rookie impact for a second. Ryan Kalkbrenner and Kon Knueppel starting together earlier in the season was a historic moment for Charlotte, but it's the Nets rookies who stole the spotlight in this specific matchup. It's those small roster shifts that change the betting lines and the playoff trajectories—even if we're talking about the bottom of the Eastern Conference right now.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Matchup
You’ll hear people say these games don't matter because both teams are below .500. They’re wrong.
These are the "evaluative" games. This is where Jordi Fernandez and Charles Lee figure out who they can trust when the stakes eventually get higher. For the Nets, seeing Michael Porter Jr. lead a young group to a double-digit win provides a blueprint. For Charlotte, it’s a wake-up call that talent alone won't jumpstart a stagnant offense.
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The Nets actually led by as many as 28 points at one stage. Think about that. A team that had been struggling suddenly looked like world-beaters. It wasn't just luck; it was a schematic shift. They exploited Charlotte's tendency to over-help on the drive, leaving those corners wide open for Porter Jr. and Knueppel.
Actionable Insights for the Next Matchup
If you're following these teams or looking at the spread for their next meeting, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the Three-Point Line: Both teams live and die by the arc. If Brooklyn hits more than 15 threes, they almost always win.
- Monitor the Injury Report: Both rosters have been plagued by nagging injuries—specifically in the backcourt.
- The "Home Court" Swing: Both the Nets and Hornets have looked significantly more comfortable at home this season. The home team has taken the last two games in this series.
- Rebound Margin: In the Nets vs Hornets last game, Brooklyn didn't just outshoot them; they matched them in physicality, which is usually Charlotte's edge with guys like Moussa Diabaté and Miles Bridges.
The season is long. These December games are often forgotten by the time April rolls around, but the seeds of a team's identity are planted right here. Brooklyn showed they have a ceiling higher than their record suggests. Charlotte showed they still have some soul-searching to do on the defensive end.
Keep an eye on the rotation changes in the next few weeks. If Brooklyn keeps feeding the hot hand and the Hornets can't tighten up their perimeter defense, we might see a repeat of this result the next time they meet.
Next Steps for Fans and Analysts:
- Check the updated Eastern Conference standings to see if Brooklyn's momentum from the Hornets win carried over into their January schedule.
- Review the box score from the October 2025 game to compare how the Nets' defensive assignments changed between the two matchups.
- Watch the highlight reel of Michael Porter Jr.'s 35-point performance to see the specific sets Brooklyn ran to get him open looks.