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Moe Wagner and Julius Randle Address Nets' Struggles
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- Moe Wagner and Julius Randle Address Nets' Struggles
(Brad Penner/Imagn Images)
The Brooklyn Nets are still searching for answers after another disappointing loss, and Friday night's defeat against the Detroit Pistons exposed several areas the team needs to address moving forward.
After a promising first quarter, Brooklyn struggled to maintain momentum, falling 110-94 to Detroit at Barclays Center in its Emirates NBA Cup opener. The Nets were outscored by 33 points across the second and third quarters, allowing the Pistons to take control before a late fourth-quarter push made the final margin more respectable.
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After the game, head coach Jordi Fernández, Moe Wagner, and Julius Randle spoke with reporters about the team's performance, particularly its struggles with adversity, offensive consistency, and overall connectivity.
Fernández did not shy away from taking responsibility for what went wrong, pointing to the team's body language and inability to stay together when things started going against them.
"When we hit adversity, it's how we react to it," Fernández said. "And I think, like you said, we started well and doing the right things, and then the other team responds, and then you see dropping shoulders and not the same energy."
The Nets coach acknowledged that the team's offense has not been good enough, especially against a Detroit defense that consistently applied pressure and made things difficult for Brooklyn's ball handlers. He also pointed to poor spacing and a lack of movement as reasons the team struggled to generate quality opportunities.
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Fernández noted that the Nets need to do a better job cutting and creating space against aggressive defenses rather than allowing themselves to get stuck in the half-court. He also took responsibility for helping the players recognize those situations and put them in better positions.
Turnovers were another major issue. Brooklyn's starting unit committed 13 turnovers, something Fernández attributed to poor spacing, ineffective setups, and players not consistently making the simple play.
Despite the disappointing result, Fernández was encouraged by Chaney Johnson's performance in the starting lineup. He praised the forward's effort and said he has continued to take advantage of his opportunities.
Wagner shared many of the same concerns as his head coach, particularly when it came to the team's response after losing momentum.
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"When stuff doesn't go our way, we kind of put our head down a little bit and lose our connectivity," Wagner said.
The veteran big man acknowledged that Brooklyn is still a new group that needs time to develop chemistry, but he pushed back against the idea that the team's early struggles mean there is something fundamentally wrong with the locker room.
Wagner believes the Nets have the talent and relationships necessary to turn things around. He also emphasized that the team needs to play with more energy, move the ball quicker, and avoid taking too long to get into its offensive sets.
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For Wagner, the disappointment comes from knowing what the group is capable of after spending the offseason working toward a higher standard.
Randle also emphasized the importance of responding to adversity, particularly as someone expected to provide leadership and experience to a relatively young roster.
"I feel like we're having trouble sustaining good basketball," Randle said. "Start off the first quarter great and then lose the second quarter by 14, and the majority of that came in the last two or three minutes of the second quarter, and then it just kind of spiraled."
Randle admitted that the team needs to become mentally tougher and recognize what is happening during games before things get out of hand. He also acknowledged that keeping the group together during difficult stretches is something the veterans need to take responsibility for.
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Offensively, Randle pointed to a lack of communication and understanding as major problems. At times, players have not been on the same page with the actions they are trying to run, leading to poor positioning, limited movement, and possessions where teammates end up watching one another instead of creating opportunities.
He suggested that Brooklyn may need to simplify some things offensively and develop a better understanding of what it wants to accomplish on each possession.
The message from all three was fairly consistent. The Nets understand that they are still developing as a group, but that cannot continue to be an excuse for the stretches of basketball they have put together.
Brooklyn will have another opportunity to respond Sunday night when it travels to Indiana to face the Pacers. After falling to Detroit, the Nets will need a much more complete performance against a team that has already given them trouble this season.
