Brooklyn Nets HC Jordi Fernández After Blowout Loss: ‘Whoever Wears This Jersey Will Fight More Than That.'

The Brooklyn Nets head coach was not happy with his team’s defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Dec 13, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez watches during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets’ first game post-Dennis Schröder was an ugly 130-101 blowout loss that left head coach Jordi Fernández demanding more fight from his squad.

“We started the game well, and then we got punched in the face,” he said. “Then, we didn’t have the togetherness, the fight to get back and keep punching. It is extremely disappointing because whoever wears our jersey will fight more than that. And if not, you will not be part of this club.”

The Nets scored the first seven points of the game, with a Ben Simmons steal-and-dunk whipping up the Barclays Center crowd. The Australian point guard then assisted Cam Johnson for a three. That excitement was short-lived, though. 

The Cavs finished the first quarter on a 32-5 and went into the second period with a 20-point lead. Fernández addressed that poor start in his post-game comments.

He said: “We started kind of fast, but then I think we gave up 18 points off turnovers and ten second chance points in the first quarter. If you do that, it’s just really hard. You lose that first quarter by 20, and ended up losing the game by 29. You look at the difference between points off turnovers and second chance points — and it’s 25 points, and you lose by 29. Those are controllables.”

Head Coach Jordi Fernández: “We'll own it and then move on to the next day."#NETSonYES pic.twitter.com/njK5brkZcg

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) December 17, 2024

The Nets were summarily outplayed by the Cavs on Monday night. Cleveland got more rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, second chance points, points in the paint and fastbreak points. Brooklyn will have a chance to avenge this loss on Thursday when the team travels to Canada to face the Toronto Raptors.

“We’ll come back tomorrow and we’ll work, we’ll watch film, we’ll own it and then we’ll move on to the next day,” Fernández said. 

The Spanish head coach started his 14th different first five of the season against the Cavs. Simmons rejoined the starters and played a season-high 30:49 minutes, in which he finished with 10 points, four rebounds, eight assists and six turnovers. The 6-foot-10 playmaker should be an even more important piece of the Nets’ rotation in the short term.

It’s also worth keeping an eye on Day’Ron Sharpe. Teams are said to be interested in trading for Brooklyn’s fourth-year big, who had 15 points and seven rebounds against Cleveland. Sharpe, who missed the Nets’ first 21 games of this season with a left hamstring strain, will get even more minutes if Trendon Watford re-aggravated his own previous left hamstring injury.

But regardless of who is wearing a Nets jersey going forward, Fernández left a clear message on Monday night: “I’m fighting with my guys. The ones that are here, they’ll have to fight. If they don’t fight, there’s going to be consequences. That’s it.”

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