CLEVELAND — The Nets desperately wanted somebody other than Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. to step up.

Egor Dëmin did just that. But they had dug too deep a gap for the Russian’s late-game eruption and fourth-quarter taking pictures to dig them out of.

After dropping their residence opener, Brooklyn adopted with a 125-121 loss to the Cavaliers on Saturday evening before a sellout crowd of 19,432 at Rocket Arena, including workforce proprietor Joe Tsai.

He made the journey to watch his workforce, and saw a heartbreaker.

Donovan Mitchell, who scored a team-high 22 factors, goes up for a shot as Moritz Wagner defends during the Nets’ 125-121 loss to the Cavaliers on Oct. 24, 2026 in Cleveland. AP

The Nets trailed by 22 after a Jaylon Tyson 3-pointer in the fourth quarter before storming back to pull within 4.

The Cavaliers had blown a 29-point cushion in dropping at Philadelphia in their season opener. The Nets almost pulled off a comparable comeback. Nearly.

It was an encouraging efficiency for the Nets — who had dropped their season opener at residence against Charlotte — and Dëmin, who had been horrible against the Hornets.

He acknowledged a want to enhance, and did just that. Dëmin had 22 factors, six assists and 5-for-10 taking pictures from 3-point vary. He scored 15 in the fourth quarter, when Brooklyn sliced what had been a 22-point deficit to just two.

It will be enough to buoy his confidence. But it was virtually enough to win.

“Yeah, I think it tells you a lot about how good of a leader he is at his age, because he has high expectations by himself,” coach Jordi Fernández said. “And like I talked to him this morning, preserve getting aggressive, still the issues that I need you to do and the workforce wants you to, you have to do it. Don’t get down on yourself.

“And the things defensively getting into the ball. He’s a big guard; we know he can rebound well, so help us there, too. All those things. Sometimes you think about it’s the first game, you want to see the ball go in; but sometimes just a good defense, a good deflection, a rebound also, gives you a little bit of confidence. And then things start happening. And I thought that that anxiety a little bit of the first day didn’t help. But that’s part of the NBA.”

With 23 factors, six rebounds and 5 assists, Randle joined James Harden as the only Net with 20-5-5 in consecutive video games to begin the season.

Michael Porter Jr., who scored a game-high 28 factors, shoots over Peyton Watson during the Nets’ loss to the Cavaliers. Getty Images

But for much of the evening, he and Michael Porter Jr. (game-high 28 factors) were the only offense for Brooklyn.

And in the finish, they fell to 0-2 with the tail finish of a back-to-back coming Sunday at residence against the visiting Pacers.

Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 22, while Jarrett Allen added 21.

The defeat in Cleveland began a string of six straight video games against expected Eastern Conference playoff groups, contenders tabbed to win at least 44.5 video games by Las Vegas bookmakers. In quick, this could get worse before it gets higher.

Julius Randle, who scored 23 factors, drives on James Harden during the Nets’ loss to the Cavaliers. Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The first quarter was aggressive and back-and-forth. That wouldn’t last lengthy, the Nets not having much forth after that, until their late-game surge.

A Nolan Traore free throw put the Nets forward 30-29 with 41.3 seconds left in the first, but they gave up a fast 11-0 blitz that spanned the intervals.

Mitchell capped the Cavaliers run with a foul shot that left the Nets down 40-30 with 10:51 left in the second quarter.

They never led again the relaxation of the evening.

Brooklyn closed within a level, when Dëmin discovered Keon Ellis for a 3-pointer that made it 45-44 with 5:45 remaining in the half. But they instantly surrendered a 13-2 run and lost contact.

Trailing by a dozen after Peyton Watson’s 3-pointer with three minutes left in the half, the recreation wasn’t shut again until Dëmin caught fireplace.

Egor Demin, who scored 22 factors, drives previous Donovan Mitchell during the Nets’ loss to the Cavaliers. Getty Images

Brooklyn trailed 104-82 with 9:29 left before they went on a run.

The Nets were still down 106-88 with eight minutes to play before Dëmin drilled three straight 3-pointers.

The last, off a Randle feed, made it 108-97 with 7:01 to play. And Porter’s 3-pointer pulled the Nets within 123-121 with 8.1 seconds left.

But they couldn’t get over the hump.