Trendon Watford made his season debut after missing training camp with a hamstring injury.
“It's great to be back in the game with the players. We're just going to play a safe and healthy game,” Watford said with a Cheshire cat grin. “So, first and foremost, I felt good, so I’m happy to be able to compete.”
In Watford's 114-104 loss to the Knicks on Sunday, he had four points, three assists, and three boards in 13 minutes, 26 seconds. He admitted that he was a little nervous about his first live action experience since last season.
“I was a little tired, I'm not going to lie, I felt good,” Watford said. “I just knew when to come in and how long to play. It was three-minute stints, four-minute stints, so it was easy just to play hard and try not to think about it too much and just play.”
The 24-year-old Watford has a unique point forward game.
Watford supported their ball movement as Nic Claxton's absence forced Ben Simmons to start in the centre.
The Nets had 31 assists on 32 baskets Sunday.
The assist rate of 96.9 percent was the highest in franchise history and the highest by any team since the Chicago Bulls vs. Portland in January 2001 (97.4 percent).
Cam Johnson scored 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting and 4-of-7 from deep.
After only scoring in six games last season, he has already achieved five 20-point games in just 14 games this season.
Cam Thomas has been one of the league's top scorers this season, but needs to improve his passing, defense and efficiency.
When asked if Thomas is the most natural scorer he's ever seen, Fernandes said: Everyone is unique, right? It's unfair to compare Kylie [Irving] Cam or Jamal [Murray] To Cam, the people I've been with, one of my favorites, Delonte West.
“But the reality is, Cam is being himself and trying to get better. The message I gave him from the beginning was, 'We've got to be more efficient,' improve our playmaking, reduce our turnovers.” , that he had to improve his rebounding and defense. He's doing it all. ”
Giare Williams scored seven points through 24 minutes, despite being questionable with tightness in his right hip. Bojan Bogdanovic (returning from a left leg injury), Claxton (lower back strain) and Dayron Sharpe (left hamstring strain) are all out, and Jalen Martin and Darik Whitehead have both been transferred to the G League. Ta.
