Jordi Fernandez couldn't complain about the Nets' fight Friday night.
In fact, he loved it. Consider the messages he received.
Two nights after the Nets' new manager scolded his players for their effort in a crushing loss to the reigning champion Celtics, the Nets responded with a lackluster performance.
The Nets, playing without starting center Nic Claxton, who is expected to miss at least a week with lower back tightness, came back from a 21-point deficit in the third quarter in the first of four meetings with the rival Knicks. . garden.
In the end, the comeback fell short as Knicks star Jalen Brunson hit the winning 3-pointer with six seconds left and former Nets Mikal Bridges blocked Dennis Schroder's driving layup at the horn.
But that didn't affect how Fernandez felt about his team after a heartbreaking 124-122 loss to the Knicks in the NBA Cup.
“Losing hurts and it hurts all of us. But we showed our identity there and no one can take that away from us — no one.” Fernandez said after suffering his fourth loss. “The fight we just had, that's something we have to be thankful for. When you lose a game and go to the locker room, there's no one to be happy about losing the game, and I'm the first one. We want to win every game and we will fight to win.
“But at the same time, if you look at how we work every day, what we try to build and how we try to build, I'm proud of my guys today. did.”
The Nets (5-8) bounced back after appearing to lose their second straight game and there were many positives.
The Nets outscored the Knicks 40-24 in the final quarter, and despite suffering a backboard injury in the first two innings, they were even in the second half.
Dorian Finney-Smith returned from an ankle injury and scored 15 points.
Cam Thomas scored 43 points, making seven 3-pointers and hitting his first eight from the field before reaching the 40-point mark for the second time at MSG and the ninth of his career.
Thomas downplayed the importance of his hobby of lighting up the building, but one fan in the celebrity row, seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, caught his attention. Ta.
“But looking at Tom Brady, he was a little crazy today,” Thomas said. “I've been a big Tom Brady fan since I was little. He even gave me a little look when I hit a 3. That was a really good moment for me, for sure.
The Nets flipped the switch in the final moments of the third quarter, 98-77.
They scored 21 of the next 27 points of the game to get within six points.
The Knicks fought back by pushing the lead back to double digits, but the Nets continued to chase.
Schroder's 3-pointer with 12 seconds left put them ahead, setting the stage for a frenetic final two possessions.
“I think we did a great job of not giving up and sticking to our game plan and goals.” [tide] It was turning,” Thomas said. “We were down by one point with a few seconds left, but… [Brunson] Hit tough shots that have to survive past our best defenders. I think we did everything right and played the right way.
“I think we got about 40 points in the fourth, which is crazy. We've got to take what we did in the fourth and try to carry that over into Sunday as much as possible.”
