Nets Ride Martin's Career Night to Third-Straight Victory

Brooklyn heads home following a 3-1 road trip.

Nov 27, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Tyrese Martin (13) shoots over Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (8) during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets head home after a four-game road trip just a game below .500 after dispatching the Phoenix Suns 127-117. With the win, Head Coach Jordi Fernandez's squad is beginning to gain serious traction with its NBA counterparts.

While Dennis Schröder and Kevin Durant were busy settling their post-Olympics social media beef, Tyrese Martin and the Nets gashed the Suns from the three-point line in the first half.

As has been the case for the entirety of Brooklyn's West Coast road trip, the bulk of its offense was generated from beyond the arc. It shot 9-of-23 in the contest's opening 24 minutes, proving its fifth-best ranking in three-pointers made leaguewide.

Sans Cam Thomas, Nic Claxton and Jalen Wilson, it was the role players, like Martin, who shined.

The 2022 second-rounder out of UConn started hot and outshined Phoenix's star-studded trio of Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. He shot 5-of-6 from deep in the first half, tallying 17 points and exemplifying the Nets' "next man up" mentality.

Martin wasn't the only Net who stepped up, though. After countless challenges from Fernandez to look for his shot, Ben Simmons answered the call. He added 10 points of his own, matching his season-high through just 13 minutes of action.

Nov 27, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons (10) dribbles against the Phoenix Suns during the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Due to Simmons, Martin and a combined 18 points from Schröder and Trendon Watford, the score was knotted at 63 come the halftime buzzer.

Fresh out of the break, it was all Brooklyn. More specifically, it was all Schröder.

Showing shades of his performance in the fourth quarter in Monday night's win over the Golden State Warriors, the 31-year-old veteran guard looked like the best player on the floor. He willed the Nets to a 17-3 run in the early stages of the second half, adding 13 points of his own.

Nov 27, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schroder (17) guards Phoenix Suns guard Tyus Jones (21) during the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Durant did his best to hoist the Suns back into the contest, but as the frustrations mounted, Brooklyn reversed its often-woeful third-quarter performance.

For the second straight game, the patented "Brooklyn grit" forced the opposing coach, this time Mike Budenholzer, into a technical foul, conceding full momentum to the Nets.

After sitting even through two quarters, Brooklyn carried a 12-point lead into the final frame.

Schröder possessed the reigns in the third quarter, but handed them back to Martin to close out the win. The Nets' newest sharpshooter added another two triples down the stretch, hitting the 30-point mark and preventing any late comeback bid from the hosts.

But Martin wasn't the only beneficiary. He had plenty of help from the supporting cast.

Simmons kept dealing in transition, often sparked by Ziaire Williams' suffocating defense. Trendon Watford continued emerging as a reliable depth piece, mirroring his clutch performance in Nov. 19's victory over the Charlotte Hornets.

Tasked with toppling three All-Stars, the Nets' unity was all too powerful. And that's become a trademark of this year's squad. They're composed. They're tough. They completely demoralize their opponent regardless of who's on the floor.

Since the bad loss to Jared McCain and the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn's strung together three extremely impressive performances. The Nets get the opportunity to make it four straight on Friday in a home NBA Cup showdown with the Orlando Magic at 7:30 p.m. EST.

To access the final box score from the Brooklyn Nets' win over the Phoenix Suns, click here.

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