Everyone had their job in the Nets ecosystem. Some are more than one, and some are more important than others.
Jordi Fernandez has many new responsibilities as a new head coach, from implementing systems on both ends of the court to managing games and dealing with the media.
But no job is more important than development.
We don't just develop players, we foster a winning culture.
It means setting standards for them to achieve.
“Yeah, that's my top priority,” Fernandez said before Sunday's 114-104 loss to the Knicks at the Garden. “It's also about what you do every day, right? Are you willing to improve 1% every day? Are you willing to build relationships with players? Are you willing to accept your role? , do we not just accept, but embrace? They are, after all, what continues to construct our identity.
“I'm very proud of them so far. You guys can watch the games and see how they compete. If the mistakes are honest mistakes, we They're trying, that's okay. But what they're doing in practice and what they're doing. We don't get to see how things are interacting on a day-to-day basis, and we're very happy with how the process is going so far, but we're making progress. So this is just the beginning and we have a plan.”
The Nets had lost four of their previous five games heading into Sunday's game at the Garden.
But even before they erased a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter on Friday and took the lead with 12 seconds left, anyone who has seen them play knows that Fernandez embraced them and made them play hard. You can't deny that.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Nets made just nine charges all last season, the fewest by any team since such statistics began being tracked. But they won seven of 13 games Sunday, giving them the ninth-best record in the NBA this season.
But for a franchise whose 32-50 season was so disappointing that it traded Mikal Bridges to the Knicks and began a rebuild, it's not just about their play.
It's about how they practice. Even how they live.
Hence Fernandez's mantra of “Improve one percent every day.”
“[It came from] A lot of the coaches I've worked with. I have a lot of respect for all the coaches I've worked with, Mike Brown, Byron Scott, David Blatt, Ty Lue, Michael Malone, Sergio Scariolo. It helped me understand that yes, games are important and everyone is excited to play them. But if you pay attention to getting one percent better, especially when people aren't paying attention to you, not monitoring what you're doing.
“Sometimes I shoot my own shots, but sometimes I'm like, 'I have to take care of my body.'” You need to rest. You have to eat the right things. You have to take care of your body. You need to deal with stress. ” There are many ways to improve our work and improve our overall performance. For the players, it's not basketball. It's not just about shooting the ball. It's not just about defending. But that's all we do. ”
Fernandez has relied on Brooklyn veterans to preach that.
His preferred starting lineup of Dennis Schroder, Cam Thomas, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Nic Claxton is the quintet that has played the most minutes with 98 minutes, and 30 lineups that have played 50 minutes. It had the 7th best net rating. (13.2) and defensive rating (104.6).
“The NBA is mentally tough, especially when you're young, and the veteran players know how to do it. That's why we're getting there,” Fernandez said. “Yes, it hurts to lose. And it hurts for all of us. But building an identity [is the key]. …I have to give them the good, the bad, and the challenges, and we go from there.
“At the end of the day, building this foundation and establishing our identity is the most important thing for us, because we have a plan and maintaining this success is what we want to do. is.”
