Nets give Jordi Fernandez an emotional win over Kings and his former mentor Mike Brown
Nets guard Cam Thomas, center, is guarded by Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox, left, and Kevin Huerter (9) during the first half of an NBA game in Sacramento, Calif., on Sunday. Credit: AP/Randall Benton
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jordi Fernandez has downplayed any emphasis on personal moments in his rookie coaching season. But it was difficult doing so Sunday.
It was his first time facing Kings coach Mike Brown after spending the last two seasons as his lead assistant. The Nets made sure Fernandez left a winner as they used a strong fourth quarter for a 107-103 victory.
After giving back a 19-point second-quarter lead to trail in the third quarter, the Nets tightened their defense in the fourth. Down 92-88, they went on a 17-6 run to lead by seven with 3:56 remaining.
They held the Kings to just 15 points in the fourth quarter. Cam Thomas, who played through sickness in Friday’s loss at Philadelphia, had a team-high 34 points, matching his combined total from the previous two games. Cam Johnson added 16 points. The Nets’ bench outscored the Kings 44-9 thanks to Noah Clowney’s 18 points, including a career-high five three-pointers. Shake Milton added 10 points.
The Nets got out on a 17-5 run in the second quarter. They made 10 of their first 14 three-pointers but they cooled off and the Kings chipped away to tie the score at 82 with 2:34 left in the third quarter.
Keegan Murray’s dunk made it 84-83, giving the Kings their first lead since the first quarter. The Kings led 88-85 before Clowney’s three-pointer at the buzzer tied it going into the fourth. The Nets gave up 13 second chance points in the period and were out rebounded 17-3.
De'Aaron Fox finished with 31 points, continuing a trend of the Nets giving up big games to opposing guards. However, the All-Star guard was 0-for-3 in the fourth quarter.
Dennis Schroder (sore right ankle) missed his first game, joining fellow starter Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle sprain) on the sideline. So Ziaire Williams started as did Nic Claxton, who opened up alongside Ben Simmons for the first time this season.
What started off as a first-quarter duel between Fox and Thomas evolved into a Nets’ shootout. They were 7-for-11 on threes in the first quarter and 13-for-20 by halftime.
Seven different Nets players made a three in the first half. Clowney was 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. However the Kings battled to cut the lead to eight (65-57) at halftime.
Thomas had 22 points at halftime and Fox had 24 points shooting 7-for-9. The Kings stayed close shooting 54.5% in the first half. But their eight turnovers gave the Nets 14 points.
Clowney’s five three-pointers matched his total in New Orleans on Nov. 11. However, he left the game with 6:05 remaining with a sprained left ankle from landing on Murray’s foot while jumping to pass.
Fernandez was glad seeing old friends and former players in his return. He tried to focus on the game but it was hard ignoring what it meant facing Brown, who gave him his first NBA job as a player development coach in 2009.
“He's a mentor, but he's more than that. He's like family to me,” Fernandez said before the game. “I would not be in this position without him, and life is one big circle, right? He's the one that brought me here, and then years later . . . we were together. [We] ended up with Nigeria in the Olympics, and then we're back together here in Sacramento.”
Brown was equally complimentary of the job his former protege has done this season as a head coach.
“He has them playing really hard. They're doing some good things on both sides of the ball,” Brown said before the game. "But I can only imagine the success that he’s going to have, especially given some time once they figure out which direction they may or may not want to go.”
Notes & quotes: Fernandez said Dorian Finney-Smith is out for Monday at Golden State as he continues to be evaluated. The sprained ankle is the same injury that caused him to miss two games earlier this month . . . Ben Simmons will also be out Monday since he’s yet to be cleared to play both games of back-to-backs. He’s missed four games due to injury management but only one because of a new injury.
Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
