NBA fans have been raging after the Brooklyn Nets rested most of their star after the first quarter in the 144-122 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The bizarre move came on the rear end of Brooklyn’s back-to-back with the Nets beating the Detroit Pistons 118-112 the night before.

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The Brooklyn Nets played mostly role players against the Milwaukee Bucks having rested their starters on WednesdayCredit: Getty
Head coach Jacques Vaughn fielded a reshuffled starting lineup for the home game with center Nic Claxton and Spencer Dinwiddie missing.

Dennis Smith Jr., Cam Thomas, Mikal Bridges, Day’Ron Sharpe, and Royce O’Neal came out for tip-off at Barclays Center.

But Thomas, Bridges, and O’Neal never got up from the bench after the first 12 minutes even though the Bucks ended the quarter with a slender 32-31 lead.

And NBA fans rushed to social media to slam the Nets.

“Never betting NBA again, that s**t is rigged and it’s plain as day… Nets sitting their best players in a game they could possibly win is beyond me,” one wrote.

“That Bucks/Nets game is a perfect example of why the NBA rigged lmaoo,” another added.

“Soft move by the @BrooklynNets do you know how many kids probably got these tickets for Christmas just to see the Nets G league team play?” a third asked.

“So lemme get this straight the Nets was down one going into the second QT, Cam [Thomas] had 8 in the first and just never seen the floor again? Rigged ain’t no f**king way,” one wrote.

Forward Jalen Wilson led Brooklyn in scoring as he put up 21 points, 10 rebounds, and two assists off the bench.

Vaughn defended his decision to rest his best players and denied approaching the clash as if it was an exhibition game.

“I have too much respect for the dudes that suit up and put their body on the line and the competition level to even mention the word exhibition,” he said.

“Any guy could have ended their career tonight by one play and so I treat it as such.

“It is an honor, it is, I don’t know, a sense of gratitude that you do this for a living and you never, ever underestimate that. If you do, you’ll pay for it.”

Meanwhile, Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo credited Brooklyn’s young players for making the game competitive.

“They competed hard,” Antetokounmpo said.

“I don’t know most of them but definitely I’ll learn them after today because they made it extremely, extremely tough for us.”

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Forward Jalen Wilson led Brooklyn in scoring with 21 pointsCredit: Getty