Brooklyn’s Triumph Over Golden State Exemplifies Fernández's Leadership

The Nets' head coach propelled his squad to a statement road win.

Nov 25, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez reacts during the second half of the game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images / John Hefti-Imagn Images

No matter the opponent, Jordi Fernández and the Brooklyn Nets have proved resourcefulness beats resources.

Nic Claxton, Dorian Finney-Smith, Noah Clowney and Ben Simmons sat out. Cam Johnson injured his ankle mid-game. Brooklyn was down 18 points in the third quarter to the Golden State Warriors. Leading scorer Cam Thomas didn't play in the fourth.

But it didn't matter. Come the final buzzer, in the face of adversity, the Nets prevailed.

Fernández, who's already proved to be a home-run hire through just 18 games, implemented a true culture that's resulted in standout performances for what was supposed to be a rebuilding Brooklyn squad.

Instead, they've taken the Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics down to the wire while beating the Sacramento Kings and Golden State on the road.

"Continue to fight and control the mistakes you can control," Fernández told his team before the roaring comeback ensued. "It was a complete team effort."

The Nets are now 5-1 in six contests against the Western Conference. 8-10 overall. And they haven't been at full strength once this season.

Day'Ron Sharpe and Bojan Bogdanovic have yet to suit up in the 2024-25 campaign. Simmons typically doesn't play the second act of a back-to-back. Claxton's been banged-up all year.

Any other franchise almost certainly would be far from the .500 mark. But Brooklyn's different.

It has Fernández at the helm.

Having completed nearly a quarter of his first expedition as a lead man, it's apparent the performances the Nets have strung along aren't flukes. They have a rockstar head coach and a cast of players who've bought in early.

Amid a two-game winning streak, Brooklyn looks to close out its West Coast road trip undefeated with a win over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST.

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