Inside The Nets

Brooklyn Nets: What We Have Learned From Jordi Fernández’s Rotations So Far

The 41-year-old Badalona native picked up his first win as an NBA head coach on Sunday.

Wilko Martinez Cachero

Oct 27, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez yells out instructions in the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Oct 27, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez yells out instructions in the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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Jordi Fernández made history on Sunday as he became the first Spanish head coach to win an NBA game when his Brooklyn Nets defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 115-102.

It was quite the moment for Fernández — in front of his entire family, no less — who has already made a positive first impression on Nets fans. Of course, making any conclusions after three games of the NBA regular season is not wise. Starting to spot trends, strengths and improvement points, however, is. 

In the Nets’ three contests so far (1-2), Fernández’s ideas as head coach have been clear. Everything he talked about in preseason and in front of the cameras and microphones, until now, has largely come to fruition. Brooklyn defends with intensity and physicality, and their offensive process is relatively clean with movement and good looks.

Fernández is stamping his identity on the Nets and he’s assertive about it. He isn’t afraid to demand better shots from Cam Thomas or, from Ben Simmons, just more shots. Three games in, he’s also seemingly not hesitant about being adaptable with his in-game decisions and substitutions. 

Part of this has seemingly been because of Nic Claxton’s ramp-up from his preseason hamstring injury, but the Nets have started the same lineup in every game so far: Simmons, Dennis Schröder, Thomas, Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith. It remains to be seen whether that changes, but the candidate to exit Fernández’s first five because of on-court production might be Simmons.

After that, the 41-year-old head coach has typically resorted to Jalen Wilson and Noah Clowney as the first names off the bench. In Clowney's case, he's been the back-up big in every game and performed decently, but with Day’Ron Sharpe and Trendon Watford injured. Wilson saw his minutes wane in the Nets’ second game, which Fernández explained was for defensive purposes, but he was once again early in the Spaniard’s thoughts versus the Bucks. 

Interestingly, Shake Milton saw backup ballhandler minutes in Brooklyn’s preseason and first two regular season games; however, he was out of the rotation against Milwaukee. Instead, Keon Johnson saw some sparse first half minutes and, until garbage time, it was Schröder or Simmons at the point guard spot. 

Looking at the Nets’ next slate of games, beginning Tuesday night against the Denver Nuggets, it will be interesting to monitor whether Fernández conforms to an even more regular rotation pattern or if he continues to be as proactive. The next two games, for instance, will be a telling test for Brooklyn's frontcourt — first against Nikola Jokić and then on Wednesday against some uber-centers in Memphis' Zach Edey and Jay Huff.

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Wilko Martinez Cachero
WILKO MARTINEZ CACHERO

Wilko is a journalist and producer from Madrid, Spain. He is also the founder of FLOOR and CEILING on YouTube, focusing on the NBA Draft and youth basketball.

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