Brooklyn protects its second-half lead in Indianapolis
Michael Porter Jr. scored 23 points and Julius Randle added 20 as the Brooklyn Nets earned their first victory of the season, beating the Indiana Pacers 98–90 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on November 1 in the United States, November 2 in the Philippines. Brooklyn improved to 1–5 and Indiana dropped to 2–5.
Day’Ron Sharpe supplied 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Nolan Traore scored 16 and Moritz Wagner added 14 off the bench. Those contributions supported Porter and Randle in a game where neither team reached 100 points.
Brooklyn led 43–40 at halftime and scored the first nine points after the break. Porter’s four-point play and five points from Traore created immediate separation. The Nets remained ahead throughout the second half.
Indiana closed to 75–72 early in the fourth quarter but could not complete the comeback. Randle’s stepback three-pointer with 4:44 remaining pushed Brooklyn’s lead to 10, providing another cushion before the closing possessions.
Andrew Nembhard matched Porter with 23 points for the Pacers, and Pascal Siakam added 17. Indiana shot 40 percent from the field, while Brooklyn made 41.1 percent. The teams each converted 13 three-pointers, leaving other possessions to decide the difference.
Brooklyn made 25 free throws against Indiana’s 21, and Sharpe’s rebounding gave the Nets a dependable presence inside. The win did not erase their difficult opening stretch, but it ended the search for a first success. Protecting the advantage after halftime was the clearest improvement reflected in this result.