NEW ORLEANS (Interstat) — Michael Porter Jr. scored 22 points, Egor Demin added 22 in his return from a six-game injury absence, and the Brooklyn Nets beat the New Orleans Pelicans 145-111 on Wednesday at Smoothie King Center. Brooklyn improved to 3-8. New Orleans fell to 4-8 and lost its fourth consecutive game. The announced attendance was 15,043. The Nets delivered a dominant offensive performance, built a large early lead and were never seriously threatened after the opening minutes. Brooklyn finished with eight players in double figures and leaned on a 3-point barrage that New Orleans could not match.

Brooklyn took control with a burst in the first quarter. After Zion Williamson opened the scoring with a driving layup and Dejounte Murray followed with a running pull-up, Demin made a 26-foot 3-pointer to get the Nets on the board. Porter and Julius Randle then went to work near the basket. Porter made a driving dunk, Randle converted a layup and Danny Wolf scored on a tip shot as Brooklyn moved in front. Noah Clowney closed the first quarter with a driving floater and a free throw, and the Nets led 39-25 after 12 minutes. Brooklyn’s early advantage came through a mix of inside finishing and quick perimeter ball movement, and it set the tone for the rest of the game.

The Nets kept the pressure on in the second quarter. Moritz Wagner made a 3-pointer, a technical free throw and a driving layup during one stretch, and Day’Ron Sharpe added a dunk and two free throws. New Orleans tried to stay close behind Williamson, Saddiq Bey and Jeremiah Fears. Bey made a trio of 3-pointers in the first half, and Fears scored on a running dunk as the Pelicans trimmed the deficit. Brooklyn answered each time. Porter made a 26-foot 3-pointer, Randle scored on a layup and Terance Mann hit a 25-foot 3-pointer with less than a second left in the half to give the Nets an 83-66 lead at the break. Brooklyn scored 44 points in the second quarter and shot with confidence from outside. The halftime cushion gave the Nets room to absorb New Orleans’ best stretches after intermission.

The Nets put the game away with a run in the third quarter. Demin opened the second half with a 28-foot 3-pointer, and Sharpe made two 3-pointers in a span of about 40 seconds as Brooklyn stretched the lead. Porter added a running 3-pointer, and Clowney made a dunk and a 25-foot 3-pointer. Williamson tried to keep New Orleans within reach with free throws and a driving layup, but Brooklyn’s shooting was too much. Demin’s 3-pointer early in the fourth and consecutive 3-pointers from Ellis and Wagner helped turn the final quarter into a rout. Brooklyn led 107-81 after three quarters and extended the margin in the fourth. Brooklyn’s largest lead reached 40 points in the fourth quarter.

Porter finished with 22 points, six rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes. Demin scored 22 in 23 minutes and made four 3-pointers. Sharpe provided a strong two-way game with 15 points, four rebounds, five assists and four blocks. Wolf recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds to go with four assists and two blocks. Randle scored 17, Clowney and Wagner each had 16, and Keon Ellis added 11. Brooklyn placed eight players in double figures, a balanced effort that kept pressure on New Orleans throughout the second half. Porter continued a productive recent stretch after scoring 19 against Dallas, 25 at Atlanta, 26 against Charlotte and 18 at New York.

Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 29 points, four rebounds, two assists and one block. Fears added 14 points, four rebounds and five assists. The Pelicans shot 34 of 77 from the floor and 12 of 30 from 3-point range, but they struggled to string together stops. New Orleans never found a consistent answer for Brooklyn’s perimeter shooting or its ability to draw fouls. The Pelicans made a late push behind Bryce McGowens and Jordan Poole, but the outcome had long been decided. Williamson scored at the rim and at the free-throw line, yet New Orleans could not keep pace once Brooklyn’s shooters found rhythm.

Brooklyn shot 45 of 79 from the field, 20 of 41 from beyond the arc and 35 of 42 from the free-throw line. New Orleans shot 34 of 77 overall, 12 of 30 from deep and 31 of 38 at the line. The Nets had 11 offensive rebounds to the Pelicans’ nine. Brooklyn finished with eight assists, eight blocks, 13 turnovers and 25 fouls. New Orleans had 10 assists, six blocks, 16 turnovers and 29 fouls. Brooklyn scored 145 points on 101 possessions for an offensive rating of 143.6. New Orleans scored 111 points on 102 possessions for an offensive rating of 108.8.

The Pelicans have allowed 138 points or more in three straight games and have lost their last two by more than 30 points. New Orleans lost by a franchise-record 51 points to Golden State in its previous game, falling 138-87. The Nets took advantage of New Orleans’ defensive issues with a season-best scoring output and a steady stream of open 3-point looks. Brooklyn’s bench and frontcourt production helped offset New Orleans’ advantage in assists and keep the pace in the Nets’ favor. Brooklyn also controlled the paint enough to finish with a decisive edge in free-throw attempts and conversions. The Nets next visit Memphis, while New Orleans next hosts Memphis.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of New Orleans 113, Brooklyn 102. Interstat’s ELO system had projected New Orleans with an 80.7 percent probability to win. New Orleans had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -3.5. The total score of 256 went under the over/under line of 228.