Brooklyn Nets Head Coach Jordi Fernández Breaks Down Houston Rockets Win

The 42-year-old spoke after the Nets' second win in a row.

Jan 29, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez watches his offense during the first quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernández credited his team’s defense and communication for their Saturday night win against the Houston Rockets.

“I thought defensively, our ball pressure and our shifts,” he said. “We made that paint look crowded. That’s something they do very well with. [...] I thought we did a very good job.” 

The Nets combined for 13 total ‘stocks’ (steals and blocks), with Ziaire Williams leading the way thanks to his two blocks and one steal. Williams was also Brooklyn’s top scorer on the night, dropping 21 points on 8-of-15 from the field.

Fernández broke down his performance: “Extreme energy like he always brings, but also discipline. Sometimes, his energy could be a little all over the place, but in the last two games, he’s been just amazing. He’s disruptive, he uses length, he’s there rebounding.” 

Williams finished with eight rebounds — three offensive, another team-high — on Saturday. In his post-game press conference, Fernández lauded Brooklyn’s guards for pitching in on the glass. In addition to Williams, Keon Johnson had nine rebounds and Jalen Wilson had seven. 

“That’s big time because we cannot just expect Clax and Day’Ron just to go get every single one with their big bodies, so everybody’s gotta come back and help,” Fernández said. “I thought that really made the difference.”

The Nets' head coach also praised his bigs for their defense and, more than that, their communication. Nic Claxton contributed with 17 points, while Day'Ron Sharpe had 13 to go with four rebounds, two assists and one made three off the bench. 

Fernández said: “Him and Clax combined for 30 points together, but also what’s most important is their communication was on-point, and it was early. Those are the little steps that I want them to take, and they’re responding, so very happy to see that from both of them.”

Sharpe's 13 points marked his third-highest scoring game of the season, while Claxton’s 17 was his second-highest scoring contest. The Nets are currently without Noah Clowney due to a left ankle sprain, and he’ll “likely” remain sidelined throughout the All-Star break (Feb. 14-19).

Next, after two consecutive wins, the Nets return to Barclays Center on Feb. 4 for a rematch against the Rockets. Brooklyn will still have another game in between, but that’s only two days before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Fernández is hoping to see his team put up another solid defensive performance.

He said: “We look connected. We communicated very well. Our focus and our intentions were very good. It was not always perfect, but we communicated on point. We were loud, especially our centers. They are supposed to be the anchor of our defense, and they did an outstanding job. Winning three quarters and losing the fourth, I think our defense was very, very good. [...] Our challenge is to do it one third time.”

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