The Nets have overcome numerous injuries to key players this season and won some last-minute games to stay near the lottery deadline, but were unable to overcome poor outside shooting and sloppy play across the board Saturday night. .
With Dorian Finney-Smith the latest regular out of the lineup, the Nets made just 7 of 40 3-pointers, but manager Jordi Fernandez led the Jazz at Barclays Center 105-94. They were tied with Detroit for 10th place in the Eastern Conference play-in standings, which was made even more frustrating by the 19 turnovers suffered in the loss.
“It's about controlling the controllables. You can control how you handle the ball. Of course turnovers are part of the game, but we have to be better,” Fernandez said. “And when you get hit, can we come together and respond? Up and down, I don't think we got it all the way. I expect our players to get even better.”
“I can't control whether I hit 7-of-40 or not. I think it was a good shot. I wish I could have shot it better, but I'm not mad at the players because it was a good shot. But… We have to be better.”
It's at least encouraging for the Nets, who face Miami on Monday, that Ben Simmons has scored in double digits for the third straight game with a season-high 15 points, 10 assists and six rebounds.
But he and Cam Johnson each committed six turnovers in the loss.
“I think it was just a turnover. Obviously it will affect my return. [on defense]and there are too many easy transition buckets,” Simmons said. “I think we got a lot of great results in three games, and seven out of 40, that's right there. When you get a bunch of shots like that, it's a different story.”
Noah Clowney started in place of Finney-Smith and had 10 points and six boards, and Johnson added 18 points for the Nets (11-17).
Lauri Markkanen scored 21 points, Svi Mykhailiuk and Collin Sexton each scored 18 points, and the Jazz (7-20) won back-to-back games for the first time this season.
Nets general manager Sean Marks had already released visiting guard Dennis Schroder last week, and players like Johnson and Finney Smith were also released on Feb. 6 to give more playing time to young players. He could be moved before the trade deadline.
With Schröder's departure, Simmons will return to the team's primary point guard role and could see more playing time up front.
The three-time All-Star scored six points in the opening half, and Jalen Wilson and Tyrese Martin combined for 12 points off the bench in the first quarter to give the Nets a one-point lead, 24-19. .
The Jazz went on a 9-0 spurt led by 3-pointers from Sexton and Johnny Juzang, taking a 42-39 lead late in the second quarter.
The Nets finished the first half on 3-of-16 shooting from deep, including five misses by Keon Johnson, and entered intermission with a five-point lead.
Clowney scored his first points of the game with two offensive rebounds and two dunks early in the third, but the Jazz extended their lead to 10 points for the first time with 3:41 remaining.
Jordan Clarkson (16 points) hit a reverse dunk and a layup in the final minute, leading to a 75-63 lead with 12 points going into the final quarter.
Clarkson also made a trey in the opening minute of the fourth inning as the Jazz built a 20-point advantage and began to pull away.
“There are simple things that need to be done and we didn't do them. We paid the price for that,” Fernandez said. “I'm not going to take this game back. So I can be mad, mad at myself, and obviously move on.”
