LI NETS PULL AWAY LATE FOR 117-111 WIN OVER WESTCHESTER KNICKS
By Long Island Nets Staff /March 2, 2026
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LONG ISLAND (March 1, 2026) – The Long Island Nets (16-11), the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, pulled away from the Westchester Knicks (9-16) for a 117-111 win on Sunday afternoon at Nassau Coliseum.
Long Island guard Malachi Smith led the way with 22 points, three rebounds, four assists and a steal in 30 minutes. Smith led all scorers with 13 points in the fourth and shot 100 percent (2-for-2) from deep. Brooklyn two-way forward Chaney Johnson added a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds to go with three assists in 29 minutes off the bench. Johnson shot 57.1 percent (4-for-7) from the field and 100 percent (1-for-1) from beyond the arc in the win. Brooklyn assignee guard/forward Drake Powell, playing in his first NBA G League regular season game, put up 13 points on 50 percent (4-for-8) shooting from the field and 50 percent (3-for-6) shooting from 3-point range to go with seven rebounds, three assists and a steal in 28 minutes.
Brooklyn two-way guard Tyson Etienne scored 14 points with four assists in 31 minutes while converting on 50 percent (4-for-8) of his shots from the field and 60 percent (3-for-5) of his 3-point attempts. Long Island forward Tre Scott pitched in with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists while grabbing two steals and a block in 28 minutes. Brooklyn two-way forward E.J. Liddell put up 14 points on a perfect 100 percent (5-for-5) from the free-throw line to go with nine rebounds and a block in 31 minutes. Long Island guard Terry Roberts contributed 10 points on 66.7 percent (4-for-6) shooting from the field while picking up three assists, three rebounds and a steal in 16 minutes off the bench.
The Nets began the game on a 21-7 run over the first 7:09 in the first quarter. Long Island ended the first quarter with a 34-18 lead after shooting 57.1 percent (4-for-7) from long range and holding the Knicks to 26.3 percent (5-for-19) shooting from the field in the first. Long Island extended the advantage to 20 points with a 21-9 run from 2:58 in the first to 8:47 in the second, but Westchester went on a 14-6 run from 6:50 to 3:52 in the second to close the gap. The Nets finished the second quarter without committing any turnovers and took a 63-52 lead into the halftime break.
The Knicks cut the deficit to a single point with a 15-2 run from 9:23 to 5:34 in the third, but Roberts responded by scoring or assisting on 13 of the team's final 15 points in the third. Long Island's defense limited the Knicks to 30 percent (3-for-10) shooting from deep in the third to enter the final quarter with an 83-76 lead. The Knicks started the fourth on a 15-6 run and took a five-point lead before the Nets responded with a 10-0 run to regain the advantage. Long Island pulled away down the stretch with a 19-7 run from 5:04 to 1:35 in the fourth to secure a 117-111 victory. The Nets shot 47.8 percent (11-for-23) from deep and grabbed 15 offensive rebounds in the win.
Forward Pacome Dadiet led the Knicks with 22 points to go with three rebounds and two steals in 32 minutes. Forward T.J. Warren finished with 18 points and four rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench.
The Nets will visit the Greensboro Swarm on Wednesday, March 4, at 11 a.m. ET, while Westchester will travel to Delaware to face the Blue Coats on Wednesday, March 4, at 11 a.m. ET.