Jordi Fernandez has preached a “next man up” mentality during his first season as Brooklyn Nets head coach. His team took the mantra to another level during a 3-1 road trip featuring wins over the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns.
The Nets became the first team in NBA history to have a different 30-point scorer in every game of a four-game road trip. Cam Johnson, Cam Thomas and Dennis Schroder scored 30-plus points, respectively, in the first three games. Brooklyn’s most unlikely contribution came from two-way signing Tyrese Martin on Wednesday against the Phoenix Suns.
Martin scored 30 points on 8-of-10 shooting from three while seeing his first extended action of 2024-25 during a 127-120 upset victory. The 25-year-old had scored 33 career points on 5-of-18 shooting from distance before the performance.
“Our coaches do a great job putting it together with performance and medical to have a plan for everybody to not just get better, but also to be ready [to play],” Fernandez said of his team’s successful West Coast swing. “I think that readiness showed up in the last few games. Everybody has been very diligent in doing their job. And when you are not playing, it’s not always easy because everybody wants to play, but I think that all those guys and the coaches bring the energy every day.”
“They put in work behind closed doors that nobody sees, and then when you call their name, their number, they’re ready to go. So credit to them for working, the coaches for putting it together and organizing it to find ways for them to still get better. And then it shows up. So very proud of those guys for what they do. We’ll have to continue to do that.”
Brooklyn also received high-level contributions from reserves Jalen Wilson, Keon Johnson, Trendon Watford and Shake Milton on the West Coast. Fernandez’s squad was eight-plus point underdogs in all three wins.
Nets will continue to lean on depth while battling injuries
The Nets’ depth will continue to be tested in the coming weeks. They announced Wednesday that Thomas strained his hamstring and will be sidelined for at least three weeks. The 23-year-old has led the team’s surprise eighth-ranked offense this season, averaging 24.7 points and 3.4 assists per game on 46/39/87 shooting splits, all career-highs.
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Brooklyn also lost second-year forward Noah Clowney to a sprained ankle during the road trip. The 2023 first-round pick, who has shot 37.7 percent from three on 4.1 attempts per game this year, will be out for at least two weeks.
Meanwhile, two of the Nets’ starters have injuries that forced them out during the West Coast trip. Nic Claxton is tending to a back ailment that he said will “require management” throughout the season. The 25-year-old has yet to reach full strength this season after signing a four-year, $97 million contract.
Dorian Finney-Smith has an ankle sprain that has sidelined him for Brooklyn’s last four games. The 30-year-old is off to one of the best starts of his career this season, averaging 10.8 points while shooting 41.0 percent from three on 5.6 attempts per game, all career highs.
The Nets are 9-10 following their three-game winning streak. They’re on pace for 39 wins after entering the season with a projected win total of 18.5, the franchise’s lowest in 30 years. Fernandez’s squad will look to continue its hot start this weekend during a pair of matchups with the Orlando Magic at Barclays Center.
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