THE Nets had been crushed by a median of 17.5 factors within the two journeys to the Kia Heart final season. Whereas their final highway assembly with the Orlando Magic did not get out of hand till late in regulation, Jordi Fernandez then re-joined the group in Brooklyn, nonetheless on the lookout for his first profession win.
Jamahl Mosley’s group received 116-101, bringing Brooklyn to 0-2 on the season. Orlando has now crushed the Nets at residence 4 occasions in a row.
The sport actually appeared winnable for a lot of the night, because it did on Wednesday in Atlanta. The Magic had been the No. 5 seed within the Jap Convention this previous playoffs, returned most of their key gamers from final season and the Nets saved their foot on the gasoline for some time. However the wheels clearly got here off within the fourth quarter, the place they had been outscored, 35-30, and fell behind by 17 factors on a number of events.
Additionally, identical to Wednesday’s recreation in Atlantathe Nets could not get out of their method at occasions. The hassle was undoubtedly there, however not the execution. They dedicated 19 turnovers, which led to 25 factors for Orlando, and racked up 31 group fouls, which led to 23 factors on the free throw line for the house group. Brooklyn dedicated 46 fouls in Wednesday’s lossgreater than in any recreation final season. The group’s negligence in each respects have to be corrected sooner or later.
The Nets will return to motion towards the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday at Barclays Heart.
Ben Simmons has been extra of a foul service provider than a triple-double machine in his first two appearances this season. After gathering 5 private fouls in 24 minutes towards the Hawks, he already dedicated two private fouls in his first seven minutes on the courtroom, 4 with 6:03 left within the third quarter, then dedicated his fifth and ultimate foul with 3:30. left within the third quarter.
Simmons, taking part in his second regular-season recreation after an prolonged absence final season, must be smarter, particularly with reserve heart Day’Ron Sharpe sidelined indefinitely. Brooklyn’s skinny frontcourt is ample as is. He additionally failed to achieve double-digit scoring for the second straight recreation, ending with seven factors, six rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes.
Extreme fouling, not accidents, is why he struggled to remain on the courtroom. Maybe Nic Claxton, who simply performed his second common season recreation after lacking all the preseason, will return to the beginning lineup sooner moderately than later due to this. Though he stays on a strict minutes restriction, he completed plus-11 in his 20 minutes on the courtroom. Simmons was minus-17.
It is also clear that Fernandez remains to be determining his rotations, however that was anticipated given the beginning of the season and the truth that the Nets are nonetheless removed from entire attributable to accidents. Jalen Wilson was the primary participant off the bench towards Atlanta, however that honor went to Shake Milton on Friday. Wilson performed simply 13 minutes towards Orlando, the second-lowest complete on the group behind Keon Johnson (two). He by no means discovered a rhythm offensively and remained scoreless.
It was additionally a considerably forgettable evening for Cam Thomas, who dropped 36 factors towards the Hawks earlier within the week. The Nets tried 11 photographs within the first 4 minutes of the sport and Thomas was relegated to the nook early on. He began 1-of-7 from the sphere and nonetheless managed to attain a team-high 24 factors, however did so at a 7-of-17 clip.
Fernandez deserves credit score for the way in which he dealt with Paolo Banchero defensively. The Nets threw a number of our bodies at him all evening, and Orlando’s All-Star ahead was held to simply 15 factors on 4-of-12 taking pictures.
