As I write this sentence, the Brooklyn Nets are trailing the Los Angeles Clippers 118-57. That’s a gap of 61 points.

I probably should have started writing this recap before the middle of the fourth quarter, but I was completely transfixed by the sheer magnitude of losses Brooklyn was displaying. It’s morbid fun.

Look, it doesn’t matter. A defeat is a defeat – even if it hurts for the players on the pitch, as much as they deserve it…

Oklahoma City has the dubious record of the worst losing streak in NBA history. a 73-point blowout against 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 on the verge of winning more. Three seasons later, they have the best NBA record at 33-6.

The Brooklyn Nets have nothing to look forward to after Wednesday night’s loss, the final loss being 59 points. This overshadows a brand that lasted for 46 years! None of this is guaranteed, they have to earn it even though they have the means to do so. A losing season is the right decision, even if it involves some historic defeats like this one.

However, Wednesday’s historic defeat came directly after a win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. This game was a rollicking display of shooting and transition offense as a Nets team featuring D’Angelo Russell, Cam Johnson and Ben Simmons – all fresh or recently returned from injury – led Brooklyn to 132 points. It was a much-needed respite after a five-game losing streak.

After a quick flight to LA and a short night’s sleep, it was lose again, and all three of those players would be absent.

However, the Nets had no chance. After the first quarter the score was 21:21. Low score, right? Incorrect. This was Brooklyn’s highest scoring neighborhood of the night. Jordi Fernández’s team briefly led 25-24 early in the second round, and then… I guess a 102-42 from LA.

Brooklyn was tired and, in its injured state, far less offensively talented than any NBA team has any right to be. Sure, they shot 5 of 27 from three attempts, a pathetic 18.5%, but they only managed 10 attempts in the first half. A team made up of players who weren’t supposed to run NBA offenses were forced to do so, 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 goofing around and throwing lobs all over the court. And Ivica Zubac pushed Nic Claxton into a locker. And Noah Clowney got kicked out…

After all, Jalen Wilson led the way with 15 points.

As midnight struck on the East Coast, it marked the fourth anniversary of James Harden’s debut with the Brooklyn Nets. He hasn’t been with the team in nearly three years, but scored 21 points against them on Wednesday night. In three years, this loss will be entirely Basketball Reference’s fault as Cooper Flagg and Giannis Antetokounmpo look to bring Brooklyn their second straight title. Otherwise they still stink. Who knows?

The last time Brooklyn lost by 50 points, the head coach was fired (last season, in case you forgot). That won’t happen this time.

Jordi Fernández was not angry after the defeat, he did not threaten playing time or hit the podium with his fist:

“It’s one of those days where, you know, you don’t do anything right. You don’t have the right energy and the right cohesion, but you try, and you just need a little more focus and all those things… I’m proud of this group of people and I know they’ll show up and the next one work day. The only thing we can do now is have a positive but also competitive attitude.”

People will screw the networks like they should. Los Angeles handed them the worst loss in franchise history and the worst loss in the NBA this season. There’s still half a season left. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. There’s still a game tomorrow. Is this good or bad news?

“The energy and competitive spirit simply wasn’t there. But at the moment I can only support my boys. It’s never a good experience to go through something like that, but when you look at the whole season it shows that none of our guys are working for it and they’ve been competing the whole time. All I can do is support them, own that themselves, of course, and show up the next day and try to get better,” Fernández said.

He’s right, of course.

Final score: Los Angeles Clippers 126, Brooklyn Nets 67

Injury update

Ben Simmons missed the game due to injury, as it was the second night in a row.

Although D’Angelo Russell played in Portland, he missed Wednesday’s game because of what Brooklyn called a right shin bruise/left hamstring strain.

However, Cam Johnson missed the game not due to injury or a new injury, but again due to a right ankle sprain. Jordi Fernández told the media before the game that Johnson made another mistake in the first half on Tuesday but still came through to finish the game. Something to monitor in the future.

Milestone clock

• The Clippers broke the franchise record for margin of victory, which was 50 against Oklahoma City on April 10, 2022.
• As noted, it was the worst loss in Nets history, surpassing the 52-point loss to Houston on October 18, 1978.
• LA’s largest lead was 64 points midway through the fourth quarter, although coach Tyronn Lue emptied his bench late in the third quarter.

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Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images

The Brooklyn Nets remain in Los Angeles (donate). Here) to take on the Lakers and some old friends. The meeting point is scheduled for Friday evening at 10:30 p.m. ET.