Nets Dismantle Wizards, Pick up First Win of Fernandez Era

There was an evident gap between the NBA's projected bottom two teams.

Oct 14, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets small guard Cam Thomas (24) drives the ball against Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (8) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

In a commanding home rout, the Brooklyn Nets climbed to 1-1 in the 2024-25 preseason with a 131-92 victory over the Washington Wizards.

Brooklyn took full advantage of Alex Sarr's absence in the opening quarter, generating their first 16 points of the game from the interior. Starting at center in relief of the injured Nic Claxton, Ben Simmons showcased flashes of the resurgence his peers gushed over all summer. The 28-year-old shot 3-of-5 from the field, tallying six points, two assists and four rebounds while drawing a charge on Washington's Corey Kispert. Thanks to Simmons' facilitating, the Nets overcame a slow start and settled in against a banged-up Wizards squad to hold a 28-20 advantage after 12 minutes of action.

That lead disappeared quickly after Brooklyn began the second quarter in a similar fashion to the first. Once the reserves came in, Washington orchestrated a 20-7 run, forcing the Nets into a five-minute scoring drought. Eventually, the dry spell was broken thanks to a Cam Thomas mid-range jump shot. Following their dominant inside showing at the start of the contest, Brooklyn was shut out from the painted area until Cameron Johnson delivered in transition around the four-minute mark. The starters eventually re-entered the game and closed out the half on a 16-1 run led by Simmons, Johnson and Thomas, resulting in a nine-point lead at the break.

Brooklyn's third-quarter ball movement was no match for the Wizards' defense, pushing their late-first-half run to 22-2 and establishing a comfortable 19-point lead. Thomas continued heating up, adding seven of his 17 points in the third alongside Jalen Wilson's 11-point period off the bench. Washington couldn't manage anything on the offensive end, largely due to their lackluster shooting from beyond the arc and high-intensity effort from Noah Clowney and Ziaire Williams.

With the game nearly out of reach, head coach Jordi Fernandez opted to rest his starters and utilize his less-experienced players to close out the contest. Brooklyn's bench, specifically Wilson and Shake Milton, continued to gash the Wizards' defense. The Nets' depth boasted a 41-point advantage over Washington late in the fourth quarter, sending a strong message to their summer-long doubters.

Now with his first win as a head coach under his belt, Fernandez and company travel to Philadelphia to take on the 76ers on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. EST.

To access the final box score from the Brooklyn Nets' victory over the Washington Wizards, click here.

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