Nolan Traore was the Brooklyn Nets’ most efficient offensive player through three quarters of Saturday’s matchup with the Atlanta Hawks. Then, he was benched for the fourth.
After scoring 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting, Traore did not play during the final period of the Nets’ 124-121 loss at State Farm Arena. Head coach Jordi Fernandez opted to roll with rookie point guard Mikel Brown Jr., who scored 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting in the fourth. The Nets led 114-110 with two minutes remaining but struggled to execute on both ends in the clutch, allowing the Hawks to close on a 14-7 run to win the game.