3 Nets takeaways from Monday's 120-107 loss to Steph Curry, Warriors

NEW YORK -- The Brooklyn Nets (10-20) had been playing like one of the best teams in December thanks to how much they've improved on the defensive end of the floor. Brooklyn had one of their toughest tests of the month with Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors (17-16) coming to town and the Nets did not close the game well in the fourth quarter.

The Nets lost to the Warriors 120-107 on Monday despite the fact that forward Michael Porter Jr. and rookie guard Egor Demin had two exceptional performances. Porter went off for 27 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and three steals while Demin dropped 23 points, three rebounds, three assists to keep the team in the game until the dreaded fourth quarter.

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The Warriors had their usuals leading the way as Curry had 27 points and five assists while forward Jimmy Butler had 21 points, five rebounds, and four assists. The Nets finish December with a 7-4 record and while that is still impressive, this loss to the Warriors should make them go into the New Year with a renewed focus. Here are three Nets takeaways from Monday's loss to the Warriors:

Michael Porter Jr. Plays Well After Garnering 10th-most All-Star Votes

Coming into this matchup against the Golden State Warriors, Porter had to be excited given that he received the 10th-most votes in the first round of fan voting for the NBA All-Star Game, illustrating that others are starting to notice how well he has played this season. Brooklyn lost to the Warriors in disappointing fashion in the fourth quarter, but Porter still put together a great all-around performance of 27 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and three steals.

Egor Demin Breaks Rookie Three-Point Shooting Record

Prior to the the 2025 NBA Draft, plenty of pundits and scouts were wondering if Demin would be able to shoot the three-pointer well enough to be a productive member of an offense as the starting point guard. While Demin has had some ups and downs over the course of his rookie campaign, setting the Nets rookie record for three-pointers made in a single game (7) has to be more evidence of his ability to be an elite shooter once he reaches his prime.

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Nic Claxton Balls Out Against Warriors

It should be no surprise by now that Claxton is having the best season of his career thanks to how locked in he has been on both ends of the floor, especially with his playmaking and rim protection. Recently, NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that the Warriors could potentially be interested in trading for a big man like Claxton so it's only fitting that he dropped 15 points, nine rebounds, four assists, three steals, and three blocks against a team that could want his services for themselves at some point in the future.

This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: 3 Nets takeaways from Monday's 120-107 loss to Steph Curry, Warriors