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Another game, another loss.

But at least this defeat had a silver lining: the Nets’ rookies.

The team came out of Thursday’s trade deadline day the same way it entered it, suffering a 118-98 wire-to-wire beating at Orlando.

After another rout — during which they fell behind by 26 — the Nets (13-37) have dropped 10 of their last 11.


  Egor Dёmin, who scored 26 points, looks to make a move during the Nets’ 118-98 blowout road loss to the Magic on Feb. 6, 2026 in Orlando. NBAE via Getty Images Egor Dёmin, who scored 26 points, looks to make a move during the Nets’ 118-98 blowout road loss to the Magic on Feb. 6, 2026 in Orlando. NBAE via Getty Images

At least in this one, they can take some solace from their young players.

The Nets are the first team in NBA history with five first-round rookies.

And Thursday the so-called Flatbush Five shared the court for the first time all season.

That quintet played the final six minutes together, winning their minutes 19-13.

Their teenage backcourt of Egor Dëmin and Nolan Traore was the bright spot, combining for 47 points on 9-for-17 shooting from deep.

“We were not connected,” coach Jordi Fernández said. “When you’re always a half-second late or not talking when you’re supposed to, it’s really hard to win a game [trying to] just show up and do it. It’s the NBA. A game just went by and didn’t really take the advantage as a group.

“We find some positives in development. But I want a more connected group because we can grow a lot more. Every time you compete as a group, you develop each player … and every time we don’t compete, that development is slower.”


  Nolan Traore, who scored 21 points, drives to the basket during the Nets’ road loss to the Magic. NBAE via Getty Images Nolan Traore, who scored 21 points, drives to the basket during the Nets’ road loss to the Magic. NBAE via Getty Images

Dëmin scored a career-high 26 points on 6-for-10 from 3. Traore added 21 points and a career-high-tying seven assists, using his speed to get downhill.

But the rest of the team shot just 3-for-22 from behind the arc.

Michael Porter Jr. scored just nine points on 2-for-13 from the floor.

Desmond Bane had 23 for the Magic.

Paolo Banchero added 22 while Jalen Suggs had 15 points, 11 assists and three steals in harassing Dëmin and Traore.

“For us, we got to be able to compete on this level and answer with the same level of physicality or higher and stay [with] our game plan,” Dëmin said.

The Nets sit in fourth in the lottery race, ½ game behind Indiana and one ahead of Washington.

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