Grant Nelson leads Long Island with double-double but Nets fall to Greensboro

The Long Island Nets had several individual performances worth recognizing in Friday’s G League opener and after all development is the point, but they ultimately couldn’t do enough to overcome the Greensboro Swarm, falling 121-111 at Novant Health Fieldhouse.

The game was close throughout with 12 lead changes and three ties. After going down 60-55 at the half, Long Island was still down only four, 87-83 at the end of the third, the Swarm took over, outscoring the Nets, 34-28.

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It was a frustrating result for Long Island, considering the contributions it received from multiple players, whether on assignment from Brooklyn, two-ways or Exhibit 10s. Arguably, the biggest positive came from two-way Grant Nelson, who delivered an impressive double-double and established himself as the team’s leading performer … at least for opening night.

The 24-year-old 7-footer finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds in 27 minutes. The big man was active throughout his time on the floor, shooting 8-of-16 from the field and collecting six offensive rebounds. His ability to create additional possessions off the glass gave the Nets an important presence inside. The only negative for the Alabama product was his failure to hit on any of his five 3-pointers.

Nelson added two assists, one steal, and one block for a solid all-around performance. In a game that ended in a 10-point defeat, Nelson’s performance was the clearest bright spot for the Nets.

Nelson’s performance is an especially encouraging first step considering how limited his opportunities were last season. He appeared in just four games with Brooklyn, spending much of his time trying to establish himself despite knee issues that he says are now resolved after a summer of rehab.

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There were also positive performances from two of the Nets 2026 picks.

Joshua Jefferson, taken with the 28th pick, had a solid showing with 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and only one turnover. The Iowa State product shot 5-of-9 from the field and connected on three of his seven attempts from beyond the arc. A 6’9″, 240-pound point forward, he was selected by Brooklyn…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/grant-nelson-leads-long-island-053602795.html

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Publish date : 2026-11-07 05:36:00

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