Brown's return: Nets fall to Pistons in Garden

Mikel Brown Jr. returned to action on Monday at Madison Square Garden after missing 14 games due to a back injury sustained during his sole season at Louisville. The No. 6 overall pick started his debut with the Brooklyn Nets, aiming for the franchise's first victory of the season.

The game ended in a 103-90 loss, capping a difficult stretch for the roster. Brown entered the final period with 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting, which had given the Nets the lead. However, his performance shifted in the fourth quarter. He attempted four three-pointers and missed all of them. He did not drive to the rim during the final minutes. His game ended with 1-for-8 shooting from deep.

Head coach Jordi Fernández acknowledged the challenges of Brown's new role. "I think Mikel’s a rock star," Fernández said. "He’s gonna keep take steps. And right now, we always want him to be aggressive, but he has the responsibility to run the team, and that’s a big deal. And you have to communicate. … Every shot that is good, every shot that is not good, it falls a little bit on you, right?"

Brown acknowledged his ongoing development. "I’m still growing and developing and learning," he said. "I’m doing what I love every single night, and to be able to play in this type of environment, I’m just extremely blessed." Through his first five games with the Nets, Brown is shooting 31.6 percent from the field.

Julius Randle received a warm reception from the crowd during pregame introductions. This was his first home game in Manhattan since joining Brooklyn. He spent five seasons with the New York Knicks, where he earned two All-NBA selections and three All-Star Game appearances. Randle led the Knicks to their first playoff berth in eight years before Jalen Brunson arrived.

Randle, who previously visited the Garden twice with the Minnesota Timberwolves, finished the game with 21 points and 13 rebounds. He shot 5-for-16 from the floor. "[It was] amazing, man," Randle said. "I got a lot of love for the city, for the fans, had a lot of great memories here with the team, with my family. It was a big part of my life and my career, and [I’m] super appreciative of it."

The Nets will look to rebound from this loss. Egor Dëmin missed his third consecutive game due to a bone bruise in his right leg.