​The Brooklyn Nets opened their NBA 2K26 Summer League schedule in Las Vegas with a decisive 91-65 win over the New York Knicks on Friday night at the Thomas & Mack Center. The matchup served as Danny Wolf’s Summer League debut after he sat out the California Classic with back soreness. Earlier in the day, Brooklyn also finalized the Julius Randle trade, which made Joshua Jefferson eligible to make his professional debut in Saturday’s game against the Washington Wizards.
Brooklyn lined up with Mikel Brown Jr., Egor Demin, Drake Powell, Danny Wolf, and Chaney Johnson to begin the contest. The first quarter offered little on the offensive end for either team, as both squads struggled to find a rhythm. The Nets and Knicks combined to shoot just 8-for-30 in the opening period, with a mix of missed open looks, turnovers, and several air balls preventing any real offensive flow. Demin looked to set the tone early, taking five shots in the first three-and-a-half minutes. He converted an and-one drive and then fed Chaney Johnson on a backdoor cut to help Brooklyn forge a 15-9 lead.
New York finally found a modicum of rhythm late in the quarter. Tyler Nickel connected on two triples, and Pacome Dadiet added a backdoor layup, enabling the Knicks to close the period on a 7-0 run and grab a 16-15 edge.
The Knicks carried that momentum into the second quarter. Dadiet completed an and-one, and Dillon Jones capped a fast-break sequence with a layup, fueling a 16-2 run that put New York ahead 25-17. But Brooklyn answered quickly. Demin asserted himself by repeatedly attacking the paint and then hitting back-to-back threes late in the half, triggering a 16-2 Nets run to flip the scoreboard and hand Brooklyn a 38-33 lead at halftime.
After the break, the Nets seized control in dramatic fashion. Chaney Johnson produced a steal that led to a dunk, and Mikel Brown Jr. added another steal that resulted in easy transition points. Wolf injected energy with a fast-break dunk, Ben Saraf drilled a three, and Demin continued his hot shooting from deep as Brooklyn unleashed a 15-0 burst to blow the game open. The Nets dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Knicks 30-9 to turn a five-point halftime lead into a commanding 68-42 advantage as the third quarter ended.
The fourth quarter offered little resistance for Brooklyn. Brown converted a four-point play and then knocked down another three in quick succession, extending the cushion to as many as 32 points before the final buzzer sounded on a 91-65 victory. The Nets maintained the upper hand throughout the final period, sealing a strong summer league win.
Standouts for Brooklyn included Brown and Demin, who each poured in 20 points. Brown finished 6-for-12 from the field and 3-for-6 from three-point range, while Demin went 7-for-15 overall and knocked down three triples after an aggressive start. Chaney Johnson continued to deliver a well-rounded performance with 11 points, nine rebounds, and four steals, adding to the energy on both ends of the floor. Danny Wolf also made a positive impression in his debut with nine points, eight rebounds, and three assists, highlighting his versatility and willingness to impact the game in multiple ways. Humrichous contributed nine points and five rebounds, knocking down three of five attempts from long range to stretch the floor for Brooklyn.
The Nets now look ahead to Saturday’s matchup against the Washington Wizards, with the addition of Joshua Jefferson eligible to participate following the Julius Randle trade. Brooklyn will hope to carry the momentum from this convincing opening performance into their next summer league contest, continuing to showcase the depth and versatility across the roster as the evaluation period progresses.