The Nets faced a rough outing against the Knicks on Wednesday, marking a disappointing return to poor form after a brief improvement in December.
In their last 13 games, they’ve recorded the worst net rating in the NBA at -13.0, which reflects their scoring differential per 100 possessions.
This grim statistic breaks down to a defensive rating of 122.2 points allowed per 100 possessions, placing them at 29th in the league, ahead of only the Jazz. Offensively, they’ve landed at 28th with a rating of 109.1.
In this stretch, Brooklyn has tied for the most losses, alongside the Pelicans, and most recently surrendered 11 points in a home game against the Celtics.
Their 120-66 defeat at Madison Square Garden was labeled “unacceptable” by Nets forward Noah Clowney, while head coach Jordi Fernandez took significant blame for what was the worst showing by any NBA team this season.
The Nets managed to control the boards, out-rebounding the Knicks 56-27 overall and 8-4 on the offensive glass. Yet, they struggled offensively, sinking only 27.5 percent (11-of-40) of their three-point attempts, compared to the Knicks’ 50 percent (16-of-32).
“I have to make them better,” said Fernandez. “We’ve been subpar on both ends in the last 12 games. That’s on me. Scoring just 20 points in the paint indicates a lack of offensive presence. Zero second-chance points? That’s tough.”
“Sure, percentages vary—sometimes shots go in, sometimes they don’t. But credit goes to the Knicks; they outperformed us. We’ll learn from this and move on. I have a lot to sort out,” he added.
Fernandez noted that he felt the team had met an “acceptable standard” during a nine-point home loss to the Suns earlier in the week. However, they’ve struggled to replicate the decent 7-3 record they’d hoped for after December’s victories over teams like Toronto and Philadelphia.
“Consistency… it’s been an issue,” he reflected. “I’ve got a solid coaching staff that offers great ideas, and my players bring energy and work hard. So, I trust them. This phase doesn’t derail our plans. Yes, it’s a tough experience, but better days are ahead. I personally need to step up—I didn’t prepare them well enough.”
Rookie Drake Powell expressed disagreement, stating that such a poor performance “will ultimately matter.” Clowney echoed this sentiment, highlighting the failure to follow Coach Fernandez’s game plan and describing their showing as the worst possible outcome.
“We have to improve,” Clowney remarked. “I’m steering clear of any politics on this. From a coaching standpoint, it felt like we missed some fundamental aspects that I had aimed to execute.”
“We just couldn’t get it done offensively, and defensively, we were pretty awful. It felt like we couldn’t fight back,” he noted, reflecting on the tough experience.
Additionally, Jayson Tatum remains sidelined due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, and Josh Minott is dealing with an ankle issue, while rookie guard Ben Saraf is still on G League duty with the Nets.
