The Brooklyn Nets absorbed a heavy 119–99 defeat to the Washington Wizards, but the message from the locker room stayed centered on response. Nets coach Jordi Fernandez stressed belief and accountability. Fernandez acknowledged the gap while defending his team’s effort, even though the showdown turned lopsided on the glass and in transition. The Nets were outrebounded by the Wizards, 51–33, and every Nets player finished with a negative plus-minus. The numbers told a blunt story. The fight still mattered.
After the game, Fernandez spoke calmly but directly. “I like the fight all the way through. Even towards the end, right?” he said. “We cut it to 12 or 15, whatever it is, and the guys never gave up.” Then he pivoted to the issues. “Obviously a lot of things we got to do better. Starting with the defense. You see the numbers. That’s not good.” From there, he did not dodge the turnover problem either. “And then the turnovers, but especially in transition,” he said. “When you turn the ball over in transition, it’s like a four to a six-point swing… those swings were big every time. That comes with experience.”
Head Coach Jordi Fernández reflects on the Nets overall performance against the Wizards. #NETSonYES pic.twitter.com/mDO4P4LXfv
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He also highlighted the challenge of new roles. “When they’re asked to play a different role, it doesn’t happen right away,” Fernandez said. “My job is to keep pushing them and have high expectations for them, but also to help them when I see it doesn’t happen.”
Nets' next steps after a tough loss
Jordi Fernandez framed the Nets' path forward as work, not panic. “We’re going to go back to work. We’re going to sit down with all of them,” he said. From there, he explained that the staff plans to chase “1% better every day,” even with players out. Moreover, new experiences, he added, can speed growth if the team keeps a positive lens. Meanwhile, there are clear fixes ahead: defensive urgency, rebounding, and cleaner transition possessions. The sting of 119–99 still lingers, but the core message stands. The fight is real. The improvements must follow. And now the question hangs over the team: can the Nets turn effort into results?
