The Brooklyn Nets made history on Sunday against the Milwaukee Bucks, and they did it without their head coach. With Jordi Fernandez sidelined by an illness, the Nets dominated the Bucks at Barclays Center, 127-82, trying their largest win in franchise history.
Fernandez, who watched from home alongside his wife and two kids, had a joking response to his team's performance in his absence.
“If I had to miss another game and [they] play that well, I’ll do whatever it takes for the group,” he told the New York Post's Bridget Reilly. “All four of us were cheering for our guys and the coaches and everybody. So, we were sending a lot of love this way.”
Fernandez's top assistant, Steve Hetzel, stepped in as head coach vs. Milwaukee. The Nets had nine players reach double figures during the win, which marked their fourth in their last six games.
Jordi Fernandez returns to Nets after missing Bucks matchup due to illness
Egor Demin responded to public criticism from Fernandez during the victory, scoring a team-high 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Noah Clowney added 16 points, while Tyrese Martin had 14, Drake Powell added 13, and Michael Porter Jr. and Terance Mann chipped in 12 apiece.
While the Nets' 45-point throttling of the Bucks shocked many across the NBA, Fernandez wasn't surprised by his team's performance.
“Everybody’s response and everybody’s positive energy and willingness to do the right thing,” the coach said. “Nine players with double digits, like a lot of growth, a lot of good development — a lot of things we want to do consistently.”
After a soft stretch in the schedule that featured six straight games against teams with sub-500 records, the Nets will face a difficult upcoming slate. Fernandez will return for a home matchup with the Miami Heat on Thursday before meetings with the Toronto Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets.
