MEMPHIS, Tenn. — On Tuesday, the Nets built and then blew a huge lead in a heartbreaker against the Nuggets. A night later in Memphis, they closed the deal.
The Nets defended their way to a double-digit cushion against the Grizzlies, and this time they held on for a 119-106 win before a crowd of 14,745 at FedEx Forum on Wednesday.
“Our energy was getting better and better and better and increasing every time,” coach Jordi Fernandez said. “And it’s good to see those guys have a fight for each other. That’s a cool thing. So getting stops helps, having control helps.”
That fight produced the most fouls, most free throws conceded and biggest discrepancy at the charity stripe in the entire league.
Fernandez used gamesmanship in the press and got a technical foul just 1:43 into the game.
“What I was doing is just trying to fight for my guys,” Fernandez said. “Sometimes that happens because you want to see that they’re protected so they’re not the ones complaining. And if somebody has to take the next step, it’s going to be me. I want them to be under control, keep fighting and do the right things on the court.”
