C.J. Holmes: In loss to Bucks, Nets found proof their kids can play

C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News on Nov 29, 2025

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Early in the Nets‘ 116-99 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, the best scorer inside Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee wasn’t Giannis Antetokounmpo, Myles Turner or Nic Claxton. With Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr. sidelined by injuries, and Egor Demin out after his breakout performance the night before, it was fellow rookie Danny Wolf who stepped into the lineup, stepped up and finally had his moment.

Despite flashing an advanced passing feel for this stage of his development, this was not a night when the 6-11 forward looked to distribute. Wolf came out hunting shots, scoring from every angle and pouring in 17 points in his first 15 minutes on 6-of-9 shooting, the strongest offensive start of his first five NBA appearances.

Wolf’s shooting from long range stole the show. He shot 3-pointers with total confidence, burying his first four and remaining perfect from deep until late in the second quarter. At 21, the oldest member of the Flatbush 5 helped fuel Brooklyn’s 55.3% first-half shooting performance, outscored only by Antetokounmpo during that stretch.

Still, Wolf’s offensive burst was not enough to overcome Antetokounmpo (29 points) and Milwaukee’s firepower. The Bucks shot 64.3% in the first half, had three players in double figures and took an 18-point lead into the break. And even with Brooklyn shooting well as a team, it gave up 13 points off 11 turnovers.

The Bucks led by as many as 32 points in the third quarter as Antetokounmpo took over, scoring 11 of his game-high 29 points and reminding everyone why he is one of the league’s best. For Brooklyn’s rookies, it was a clear example of how far they still have to go.

But the Nets were expected to be outgunned in a matchup like this, shorthanded and on the road. Wolf’s breakout performance was the surprise no one anticipated. He finished with a career-high 22 points, four rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes, and he wasn’t the only Brooklyn rookie to make a case for regular rotation minutes. Ben Saraf, back in the mix after a lengthy G League stretch and his own injury absence, logged 29 minutes off the bench and added 10 points with a game-high seven assists.

Saraf’s highlight came in the first quarter, when he lost the ball but chased down Ryan Rollins in transition for a block. Head coach Jordi Fernández has pushed him to bring more consistent defensive effort and plays like that are exactly the response he is looking for. The 19-year-old also hit two of his four attempts from deep, showing improved range and confidence.

It was a far quieter night for fellow rookie Drake Powell, scoring just three points off the bench in 21 minutes, but he had his moment last Monday against the Knicks. That leaves Nolan Traore as the lone Nets rookie who has yet to make an impact in meaningful minutes. But his recent surge in the G League is any indication, his chance may not be far off.

And that’s the point of this Nets season. Not the final scores. Not the record. This year in Brooklyn is about building for the future. No team wants to take a 17-point loss on the road, but the Nets didn’t leave Fiserv Forum empty-handed. They left with a clearer sense that the kids are going to be just fine.