Nets drop opener to Hawks despite putting up fight literally and figuratively

ATLANTA — Just because the Nets aren’t fighting for a championship in coach Jordi Fernandez’s debut season, that doesn’t mean they can’t show some fight. They might have shown a little too much in his first game as coach.

The Nets momentarily lost their poise in Wednesday’s season opener, and then lost 120-116 to Atlanta at State Farm Arena.

“I loved our physicality. We’ve been talking about Brooklyn grit, right? You saw it with 32 fouls,” Fernandez said. “The only thing is, we got to be smarter. Our technique has to be better. We have to lead with our chest and show our hands. They sH๏τ 21 more free throws.”

A shorthanded six-point underdog on the road — and projected by the sportsbooks to win a league-low 19.5 games — few expected the Nets to win this one.

Onyeka Okongwu, who scored xx points, blocks Dorian Finney-Smith's sH๏τ during the Nets' 120-116 opening-night loss to the Hawks on Oct. 23, 2024.
Onyeka Okongwu, who scored 28 points, blocks Dorian Finney-Smith’s sH๏τ during the Nets’ 120-116 opening-night loss to the Hawks on Oct. 23, 2024.
Dyson Daniels of the Atlanta Hawks reacts towards Nic Claxton of the Brooklyn Nets during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena on October 23, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Yet they led late in the third quarter, and trailed just 90-89 with 8:22 left when they allowed a 12-3 run — aided by a pair of frustration fouls, including a Flagrant 2 by Nic Claxton that got the center ejected.

“Yeah, that was clearly a foul,” Fernandez said. “You know, we don’t want anybody to see anybody get hurt. I’m pretty sure he didn’t mean to.”

Related Posts

f

c

Marcus Jordan sped away from cops, name-dropped dad before troubling DUI arrest, dashcam video shows

Marcus Jordan sped away from cops, name-dropped dad before troubling DUI arrest, dashcam video shows

New dashcam footage shows the police pursuit Marcus Jordan was involved in before being arrested for DUI by the Maitland Police Department on Tuesday morning. Jordan, the…

After years of  million restoration project, the Palestinian Tourism and Antiquities Ministry unveiled one of the largest floor mosaics in the world, in the West Bank city of Jericho.

After years of $12 million restoration project, the Palestinian Tourism and Antiquities Ministry unveiled one of the largest floor mosaics in the world, in the West Bank city of Jericho.

Resembling a fine carpet, the vast mosaic covers 8,998 square feet of Hisham’s Palace, an Ummayad desert castle dating from to the eighth century. One tableau includes…

The Thracian Chariot: A 2,000-Year-Old Marvel from the Realm of Mythology

The Thracian Chariot: A 2,000-Year-Old Marvel from the Realm of Mythology

A Glimpse into an Ancient Civilization In the heart of rural Bulgaria, an extraordinary discovery was made – a 2,000-year-old wooden chariot, intricately decorated with scenes from…

Ancient Cave Art in Madhya Pradesh: Signs of Possible Encounters with Otherworldly Beings

Ancient Cave Art in Madhya Pradesh: Signs of Possible Encounters with Otherworldly Beings

01 Th11 In the Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh, India, a remarkable discovery has emerged: 10,000-year-old cave paintings that hint at possible ancient encounters with beings beyond…

Ancient giant revealed: Archaeologists unearth giant skeleton and ‘mobile phone’, revealing incredible evidence of a forgotten era.mariko

Ancient giant revealed: Archaeologists unearth giant skeleton and ‘mobile phone’, revealing incredible evidence of a forgotten era.mariko

Such archeology known as forbidden, because if the evidence have been accepted by official science, it would be necessary to change the books on the evolution and…