As I type this very sentence, the Brooklyn Nets are trailing the Los Angeles Clippers 118-57. That is a 61-point deficit.

I probably should have started writing this recap before the middle of the fourth quarter, but I’ve been completely transfixed by the sheer level of loss Brooklyn is putting on display. It’s morbidly fun.

Look, it doesn’t really matter. A loss is a loss — though my heart hurts for the players on the court, deserve it as they may…

The Oklahoma City have the dubious record of worst loss in NBA history. a 73-point blowout at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies in 2021. Just a year-and-a-half later, OKC was in the Play-In Tournament. Two seasons later, they won a playoff series and were close to winning more. Three seasons later, right now, they have an NBA-best 33-6 record.

The Brooklyn Nets don’t have any of that to look forward to after Wednesday night’s shellacking, the final margin of defeat 59 points, eclipsing a mark that lasted for 46 years! None of it is guaranteed, they have to earn it, though they have the assets to do so. A season of losing is the right call, even if that entails some historic losses like this.

Wednesday’s historic defeat, though, directly followed a win vs the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. That game was a rollicking display of shot-making and transition offense, as a Nets team featuring D’Angelo Russell, Cam Johnson, and Ben Simmons — all newly or recently back from injury — led Brooklyn to 132 points. It was a much needed respite from a five-game losing streak.

After a short flight to L.A. and a quick night of sleep, it was back to losing, and all three of those players would be absent.

The Nets had no chance, though. It was 21-21 after the first quarter. Low-scoring, right? Wrong. That was Brooklyn’s highest-scoring quarter of the night. Jordi Fernández’s team briefly lead early in the second at 25-24, and then…an 102-42 run by L.A., I guess.

Brooklyn was tired, and in their injured state, far less offensively talented than any NBA team has a right to be. Sure, they shot 5-of-27 from three, a pitiful 18.5%, but they only got up ten attempts in the first half. A team of players who are not supposed to carry NBA offenses by themselves were forced to, but even by those standards, they played poorly. And they were tired.

And Kawhi Leonard scored his first 20-point game of the season for the Clips, and Bones Hyland and Kai Jones spent the entire fourth quarter fooling around and throwing lobs all over the court. And Ivica Zubac shoved Nic Claxton in a locker. And Noah Clowney got ejected…

Jalen Wilson, at least, scored 15 points to lead the way.

As midnight hit on the East Coast, it marked the four-year anniversary of James Harden’s debut with the Brooklyn Nets. He hasn’t been on the team in nearly three years, but scored 21 points against them on Wednesday night. Three years from now, this loss will exist solely on Basketball Reference, as Cooper Flagg and Giannis Antetokounmpo attempt to bring Brooklyn their second title in a row. Or they’ll still stink. Who knows?

The last time Brooklyn lost by 50, the head coach was fired (last season if you’ve forgotten.) That won’t happen this time.

Jordi Fernández wasn’t angry after the loss, he didn’t threaten playing time or bang his fist on the podium:

“It’s one of those days that, you know, you don’t do anything right. You don’t have that right energy and togetherness, but you try, and you just need a little bit more focus, and all these things … I am proud of this group of guys, and I know they’ll show up and work the next day. So it’s all we can do right now, is have a positive but also a competitive mindset.”

People will clown the Nets, as they should. Los Angeles handed them their worst loss in franchise history, and the worst loss in the NBA this season. There is half-a-season left. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. There’s always another game tomorrow. Is that good news or bad news?

“The energy and competitive spirit was not there, plain and simple. But right now, the only thing I can do is support my guys. It’s never a good experience to go through this, but analyzing the whole season, none of our guys work for this, and they’ve competed the whole time. So all I can do is support them, obviously own this myself as well, and show up the next day and try to be better.” said Fernández.

He is, of course, right.

Final Score: Los Angeles Clippers 126, Brooklyn Nets 67

Injury Update

Ben Simmons missed the game with injury maintenance, seeing as it was the second night of a back-to-back.

D’Angelo Russell, despite playing in Portland, missed Wednesday’s game with what Brooklyn listed as “right shin contusion/left hamstring tightness,” slightly worrisome as the hamstring tightness has not been listed before.

Cam Johnson, however, missed the game not with injury maintenance or a new injury, but yet again with a right ankle sprain. Jordi Fernández told media pregame that Johnson had jammed it yet again in the first half on Tuesday, but powered through to finish the game anyway. Something to monitor moving forward.

Milestone Watch

• The Clippers broke the franchise record for margin of victory, which had been 50 vs. Oklahoma City on April 10, 2022.
• As noted, It was the worst loss in Nets’ history, eclipsing a 52-point defeat to Houston on Oct. 18, 1978.
• LA’s largest lead was 64 points midway through the fourth quarter, despite coach Tyronn Lue emptying his bench late in the third quarter.

Next Up

The Brooklyn Nets stay in Los Angeles (donate here) to take on the Lakers and a couple of old friends. Tip-off is scheduled for Friday night at 10:30 p.m. ET.