The New Orleans Pelicans were coming off the most lopsided defeat in the franchise’s regular-season history.

Head coach Jamahl Mosley was anxious to see how his team would respond against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night in the Smoothie King Center, but he didn't get the response he was looking for.

The Nets routed the Pelicans 145-111 in a performance that wasn’t much different from New Orleans’ 138-87 loss at Golden State on Monday night.

Before the game Mosley called the five-game homestand that began against the Nets and continues against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night “huge.”

The Pelicans (4-8) have their second four-game losing streak of the season, having squeezed a four-game winning streak in between the two.

New Orleans has allowed an average of 140 points in its last three games, starting with a 139-123 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

Zion Williamson returned after a one-game absence for rest to lead the Pelicans with 29 points, a season-high for a New Orleans player; Saddiq Bey added 15; Jeremiah Fears and Jordan Poole had 14 each; and Bryce McGowens scored 11.

Trey Murphy (knee) and Trendon Watford (ankle) missed a second consecutive game. Bennedict Mathurin (thumb) also was sidelined, and Yves Missi (knee) missed his 10th consecutive game.

The Nets (3-8), who entered the game tied for the second-fewest wins in the NBA, raced to a 14-point lead after one quarter and increased the advantage to 83-66 by halftime.

The scoring slowed down in the second half, but the margin continued to grow as Brooklyn held a 107-81 lead at the end of the third quarter on its way to a season-high point total. The Nets finished with eight double-figure scorers. Michael Porter and Egor Demin scored 22 each; Julius Randle had 17; Mo Wagner and Noah Clowney had 16 each; Day’Ron Sharpe added 15; Keon Ellis had 11; and Danny Wolf recorded 10 points and 11 rebounds.

The Pelicans scored the first four points of the game, but they were dominated for the rest of the first quarter. The Nets shot 61.5% from the floor, outscored New Orleans 24-10 in the paint and finished with their highest-scoring first quarter of the season in taking a 39-25 lead.

Brooklyn’s offensive onslaught continued throughout the second quarter. It had its highest-scoring quarter of the season, outscoring the Pelicans 44-41 to finish with its highest-scoring half of the season. The Nets’ previous largest halftime lead this season was five points.