Nets HC Jordi Fernández Reflects on Hawks Loss: ‘One of the Worst Games We’ve Played'

The Nets dropped their second-to-last home game for the campaign in a substantial 133-109 loss.

Apr 10, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez coaches against the Atlanta Hawks during the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernández did not hold back after the Nets’ end-of-season blowout loss to the Atlanta Hawks, deeming the 133-109 defeat one of the worst games his team has played this season. 

He said: “We were not ready to play. The coaches did a great job preparing and explaining the game plan. Players yesterday had a great day and had great energy, so it’s on me. I didn’t get them ready to play this game. You see the first quarter, 33 to 14, it’s just because the team was not connected, physically ready [or] mentally ready and that’s on me.” 

Fernández was unhappy with Brooklyn’s effort all around — the poor finishing at the rim, the turnovers, the shot selection and the defense. He called the Nets’ poor performance “self-inflicted” and emphasized the need to see more urgency from his squad before the season comes to an end. 

“You make 22 threes and you don’t even have a chance to win the game, which blows my mind,” Fernández said. “That tells you how bad everything else [was].”

The Nets shot 40% from the field, compared to 42.3% from three. Jalen Wilson led the team in scoring with 20 points in 24 minutes off the bench. Tosan Evbuomwan and Tyson Etienne followed with 18 and 16 points, respectively. Fernández was effusive in his praise of Wilson, as well as Tyrese Martin, post-game, calling them the Nets’ two bright spots in this game.

“[They] are very, very good professionals, and when their numbers are called, they’re ready to play,” he said. “I would have [wanted] 10 guys with their professionalism and attitude and being locked in, ready to play. Unfortunately, we had two out of 10.”

The Nets were without Noah Clowney, Cam Johnson, Cam Thomas, D'Angelo Russell, De'Anthony Melton and Day'Ron Sharpe against Atlanta. The team's lineups, at times, resembled a G League team more than an NBA team. The likes of Martin and Wilson have spent plenty of time developing there, but so have Evbuomwan, Etienne, Maxwell Lewis, Dariq Whitehead, Drew Timme, Keon Johnson and Reece Beekman. Many were getting plentiful G League minutes this very season before signing with the Nets.

Fernández confirmed after the game that Johnson, Russell and Sharpe would not travel to Minnesota for the second part of the Nets’ back-to-back on Friday night against the Timberwolves. The Timberwolves are 47-33 after defeating the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night.

“There’s not even a discussion right now with whether they’re going to play the next game,” he said.

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