Brooklyn Nets HC Jordi Fernández after Pistons Home Loss: ‘Offensively, The Worst I’ve Seen Us Play’

The Brooklyn Nets are figuring out their three-point diet.

Nov 1, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez reacts during the first half against the Chicago Bulls at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets fell to 3-4 for the season after a 106-92 loss at home to the Detroit Pistons. Only two Nets, Cam Johnson (26) and Cam Thomas (17), scored in double-digits for Jordi Fernández’s team.

“This is just a game that we all have to look at ourselves in the mirror and be better tomorrow,” the first-year head coach said. 

The Nets took 20 midrange shots, compared to 31 three-pointers. That shot diet — “pretty awful,” in Fernández’s words — is not a recipe for success in today’s NBA. The Nets head coach had spoken about his team’s three-point shot selection prior to the game.

“We have a number for our guys, but it has to be a certain type of threes,” Fernández said. “It's not just go out there and jack threes. We give them a number, we challenge the guys. We try to accomplish it. In the last game, we didn't. In the Milwaukee game, for instance, we did.” 

Brooklyn's last game was against the Chicago Bulls, when the team took 36 threes and made 11. Against the Bucks, the Nets finished 16-for-45 from three. In the team’s loss to the Pistons, they went 9-for-31.

“It's part of getting the best shot possible, and not just taking a terrible shot, so we have a plan in place for that with analytics, with the coaches,” Fernández explained. 

The Net to take the most threes in the team’s loss to Detroit was Cam Johnson, hoisting up 12 threes but only converting a trifecta. Johnson, who was Brooklyn’s top scorer, said after the game that he should’ve converted some of his shots from deep. He was 0-for-6 from deep in the second half, and Brooklyn was 2-for-15.

“It’s always frustrating, especially when you feel like you get good looks,” Johnson said. “We’re not converting on the offensive end, and having to continuously get ourselves out of holes on the defensive end … Just minor moments where we can be better.” 

The Nets are back in action at Barclays Center on Monday night, taking on the Memphis Grizzlies in the second night of a back-to-back. Fernández will be hoping for improvement, as his verdict on Sunday was clear: “Offensively, the worst I’ve seen us play.”

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