NBA

Milwaukee Bucks at Brooklyn Nets

· National Basketball Association
1-2, 1-1 Away
Final
102 - 115

1-2, 1-0 Home

Thomas scores 32, Nets beat Bucks 115-102 in home opener for first win under Jordi Fernandez

Nic Claxton slams it home off the backboard

The Nets pulled away in the fourth quarter after opening with two road losses in their first season under Fernandez, a native of Badalona, Spain.

Thomas scored 11 in the final period to surpass the 30 points he had averaged in the first two games.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Bucks, who have dropped two straight after winning their opener. Damian Lillard scored 21 points and Bobby Portis Jr. had 16 points and 10 boards.

Takeaways Bucks: Milwaukee can't be fully evaluated until Khris Middleton is back from ankle surgery. Coach Doc Rivers said the longtime starter is getting closer and could take another step with a good practice this week. But he won't solve the perimeter defense problems for a team that gave up 35 points to Chicago's Coby White on Friday before getting burned by Thomas and Schroder on Sunday.

Nets: Thomas has the green light and can get on hot streaks and Schroder is a feisty competitor, and even a team without a ton of talent in a rebuilding season can be tough when both have it going.

Key moment The Nets led just 89-85 with 9 minutes remaining in a game in which neither team had yet built a double-digit lead. Thomas and Schroder them combined for the next 10 points, with Thomas' three-point play giving Brooklyn a 99-85 advantage with 7:04 remaining.

Key stat Antetokounmpo has made 30 of 45 shots this season (66.7%).

Up next The Bucks visit unbeaten Boston on Monday in the second half of a back-to-back. The Nets host Denver on Tuesday.

Regular Season Series

BKN leads series 1-0

Recent Plays

4th 0.0 End of Game 102 - 115
4th 0.0 End of the 4th Quarter 102 - 115
4th 20.1 AJ Johnson makes 2-foot two point shot 102 - 115
4th 29.0 Jaylen Martin makes 23-foot three point jumper (Shake Milton assists) 100 - 115
4th 44.0 MarJon Beauchamp out of bounds lost ball turnover 100 - 112

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nba/500/mil.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originMIL https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nba/500/bkn.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originBKN
33-74 FG 39-91
45 Field Goal % 43
10-33 3PT 16-45
30 Three Point % 36
26-31 FT 21-23
84 Free Throw % 91
43 Rebounds 47
7 Offensive Rebounds 12
36 Defensive Rebounds 35
20 Assists 23
7 Steals 9
3 Blocks 3
18 Turnovers 12
0 Team Turnovers 0
18 Total Turnovers 12
0 Technical Fouls 0
0 Total Technical Fouls 0
1 Flagrant Fouls 0
21 Points Conceded Off Turnovers 13
7 Fast Break Points 13
34 Points in Paint 38
17 Fouls 26
4 Largest Lead 22
Brooklyn Nets Brooklyn Nets Injuries
NAME, POS STATUS DATE
Drake Powell, G Out Dec 22
Cam Thomas, G Out Dec 22
Haywood Highsmith, F Out Dec 18
Milwaukee Bucks Milwaukee Bucks Injuries
NAME, POS STATUS DATE
Gary Trent Jr., G Day-To-Day Dec 25
Giannis Antetokounmpo, F Out Dec 20
Taurean Prince, F Out Nov 13

Game Information

Barclays Center

Location: Brooklyn, NY
Attendance: 17,926 · Capacity:

2025-26 Central Standings

TEAM W L PCT GB STRK
Detroit 24 6 .800 - W3
Cleveland 17 15 .531 8 L1
Chicago 14 15 .483 9.5 W4
Milwaukee 12 18 .400 12 W1
Indiana 6 24 .200 18 L6

2025-26 Atlantic Standings

TEAM W L PCT GB STRK
New York 21 9 .700 - W1
Boston 18 11 .621 2.5 W3
Toronto 18 13 .581 3.5 W1
Philadelphia 16 12 .571 4 L1
Brooklyn 9 19 .321 11 W2
Full Standings

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