Nets give coach Jordi Fernandez his first win, beating Bucks in home opener
Maybe all the Nets needed was some home cooking. After two tough road games to start the season, they looked like a different team Sunday at Barclays Center.
The Nets forced the Bucks into turnovers with swarming defense. They matched and eventually surpassed the Bucks’ perimeter shooting. Most of all, they played with energy in the second half to carry them to a 115-102 win at Barclays Center.
It wasn’t just their first win of the season but the first for head coach Jordi Fernandez. His parents, wife, two children and in-laws were present along with friends. At the podium, he wiped water from his eyes after getting a celebratory shower from his players in the locker room.
“It was fun and wet,” said Fernandez. “Just very happy for the guys. I think that we took those steps forward where it’s not that we only played for the first half. We also played in the second half. So that was our goal, sustained effort.”
The Nets (1-2) did just that, outscoring the Bucks 67-57 after halftime. They hounded the Bucks (1-2) into 18 turnovers. And after committing 19 turnovers in each of the previous two games, the Nets had just 12.
Cam Thomas scored 25 of his game-high 32 points in the second half and had help from Dennis Schroder finishing with 29 points. It was how the Nets played together, not individually, that set the tone.
In the fourth quarter, they pulled away with a 16-2 run anchored by defense led by Nic Claxton, Noah Clowney and Ziaire Wiliams. Thomas and Schroder combined for 12 of the points but the Nets contested shots, defended full court and fought for rebounds on both ends.
After Thomas missed a three-pointer in the period, Claxton tapped the loose ball back to him. Thomas then drove and made a layup while being fouled. The ensuing three-point play made it 98-85.
A few possessions earlier, Claxton did the same following a missed three-pointer by Clowney.
Schroder went for it but was fouled and knocked to the ground by Pat Connaughton. Schroder got up quickly and was immediately held back from charging Connaughton.
Connaughton was giving a flagrant-1 foul and Schroder made two free throws. Schroder’s passion was something the Nets lacked the previous two games in the second half.
“Everybody was locked in. The bench was ready,” Schroder said. “Everybody just cheering for one another. And I think that gives you a lot of power as well, a lot of energy.”
Claxton, still a reserve as he works his way back from a hamstring injury, finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds in 22 minutes for his first double-double. He also helped keep Giannis Antetokounmpo from dominating the game despite the Bucks All-Star having 22 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.
Antetokounmpo, though, had four turnovers as did teammate Damian Lillard despite his 21 points.
“It’s on all five guys against a guy like Giannis. It’s on everybody to be on the same page, to all load up,” Claxton said. “It’s not just on me or Ben [Simmons] or whoever’s guarding him. I didn’t feel like I was out there by myself tonight. Everybody, the whole defense, we had a great game plan from the coaches and we did a great job executing.”
The Nets, who led 48-45 at halftime, also made 16 three-pointers to the Bucks’ 10. Despite giving up size to the Bucks, the Nets also won the rebounding battle 47-43.
Clowney had 13 points off the bench to match Cam Johnson’s total.
The win showed the best of what Fernandez tried to implement in his first season. The Nets struggled the first two games with second-half fatigue but they knew that playing hard and defending full-court was a blueprint they could follow for success.
It worked at home Sunday against a team expected to contend atop the Eastern Conference. After the final buzzer, Schroder grabbed the game ball and the team gave it to Fernandez, just like they gave him a win with the style of play he’s demanded since training camp.
“You have to enjoy this moment, because there’s only one time that you’re the head coach when you win a game,” Fernandez said. “On the other hand, I also feel like what’s the next step and we got to move on to the next thing. I want to be in this league. I want to be with this club for a long time. I’m just proud of these guys.”
Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
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