The Brooklyn Nets’ weekend trip turned into a blunt reality check, and Jordi Fernández didn’t waste time soft-pedaling it. After losses to the Hawks and Mavericks, the Nets’ coach zeroed in on the same problems from both nights: giveaways, lapses on defense, and a team that hasn’t been steady enough when the game tightens.
Saturday in Atlanta was the one that had to sting the most. Brooklyn built a 17-point lead and still walked away with a 124-121 loss, a collapse that left Fernández frustrated well beyond the final score. He made it clear the issue wasn’t just missed jumpers or a cold stretch late.
“We were not consistent enough to do the right things, and it’s not about making shots,” Fernández said. “It’s about trying to do the right things.”
He didn’t stop there.
“That’s not acceptable. That’s where you lose the game,” Fernández said. “The second-chance points also made the difference.”
Atlanta’s 70 points in the paint told part of the story. Brooklyn started out with enough resistance to stay in control, but the Hawks eventually found too much room inside. For Fernández, that was the kind of fade that turns a winnable road game into another missed opportunity.
“I was excited to have a chance to win this game. We were right there and we couldn’t,” Fernández said.
“So obviously, we’ve got to figure it out. Me first.”
The next night in Dallas brought a much harsher result. Brooklyn was blown out 130-93, and the defensive issues only got louder.
The Nets turned it over 17 times, and those mistakes led to 24 Dallas points. Fernández said the group simply wasn’t synced up, especially against the Mavericks’ backcourt.
“We were not connected, and we made a lot of mistakes,” Fernández said. “A team like this, when they’re in a rhythm with the players that they have, you can get hurt.”
Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg combined for 46 points, and Fernández pointed to Irving’s pick-and-roll work as a tough cover. Still, he wasn’t interested in using the opponent as an excuse. Brooklyn had enough chances to be sharper, and it didn’t.
Offensively, the Nets did create some decent looks, but the combination of missed shots, turnovers, and defensive breakdowns kept them from staying in either game. Fernández said the team had opportunities, just not enough clean execution to back them up.
There were a few bright spots in the mess. Fernández praised Day’Ron Sharpe after his 13-assist night against Atlanta, calling that kind of assist-to-turnover production elite.
He also explained why he stayed with Mikel Brown Jr. in the fourth quarter against the Hawks, saying Brown had found a rhythm and deserved to keep playing. Even then, Fernández admitted there was no guarantee it was the right call.
What he does know is that he doesn’t want a wholesale change in approach. He wants a response. He wants the same situations to look different next time.
“I hope it hurts enough that when you’re in the same situation, we’re better as a group,” Fernández said after the Atlanta loss.
That’s the task now for Brooklyn: turn a rough weekend into something useful. The Nets gave away a big lead against Atlanta, then got overwhelmed in Dallas, and Fernández made it plain that the fix has to show up on the floor.
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