Jordi Fernandes' instructions to his team were certainly heeded.
Let's fly.
The Nets' 3-point prowess has been central to their 9-10 start to the season despite most predicting them to be last in the NBA.
The first-year head coach, who wants to make that the identity of the offense, has emphasized that all season.
They shot an impressive 18-of-42 (42.9 percent) in Wednesday night's 127-117 win over the Suns in Phoenix.
The Nets are shooting 38.8 percent from 3-point range this season, good for fourth in the NBA entering Thursday. And that's while taking 40.9 shots per game, the fifth-most in the league.
Last year, the Nets shot 36.2% from deep, which ranked 19th in the NBA. They took 36.7 threes per game, the ninth-most.
This year's team is delighted with Fernandes' green light.
“This is big time,” Trendon Watford said after scoring 18 points, including two 3-pointers, in Wednesday's win. “I've had four coaches since I entered the league, but I don't think there's been one that told me to shoot like he did.
“Before the game he came to me and said he wanted me to shoot 10 threes. I let him down, I only shot six. That's Jordi. He shot 10 threes. We want to get 50 threes a game and we want to do that. … We enjoy it.”
The Nets also outscored them 24-13 in transition. This is an area Fernandes has emphasized in recent games, trying to get his team to play faster.
They entered Thursday averaging 96.42 possessions per game, the slowest pace in the NBA.
“If you want to have a chance against a team like this, especially when they change their lineup one-on-five, you have to be able to run and obviously you have to be able to stop,” Fernandes said after Wednesday's win. . “But even after the make, we were able to get the ball in quickly and throw it forward and get some quick shots. The players understood what kind of team we were up against and had a lot of objectives. I was happy with my full-court and half-court pace.”
Dennis Schroder, the point guard and primary ball handler, is paramount to both the team's shot selection and the speed of the Nets offense.
And he's enjoying a career year, averaging 18.6 points and 6.3 assists per game.
Schroder scored 29 points on 4-of-9 3-point shooting and added three assists in Wednesday's win. He's on the verge of becoming a free agent, but he's emerged as a veteran leader this year.
“That's who he is,” Fernandez said. “He's very tough. He's going to let everyone know we're here, he's here and we're not going to back down. That's it. That's what makes the game of basketball That's the way to do it, obviously.
“But that's who he is and that's who we are. The way the group fights, that's all we want to see.”
