{"id":639033,"date":"2026-03-04T15:16:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T15:16:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/639033\/"},"modified":"2026-03-04T15:16:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T15:16:17","slug":"jordi-fernandezs-michael-porter-jr-benching-comes-with-direct-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/639033\/","title":{"rendered":"Jordi Fernandez’s Michael Porter Jr. benching comes with direct ‘challenge’"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Brooklyn Nets<\/a> lost their ninth straight game on Tuesday, 124-98 to the Miami Heat<\/a> at Kaseya Center. After struggling alongside Michael Porter Jr<\/a>., Nic Claxton<\/a> had an apt description of his team’s performance in their first of back-to-back matchups in South Beach.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was an all-around stinker,\u201d Claxton said.<\/p>\n

The Nets are searching for victories outside of the scoreboard<\/a> during a rebuilding season. However, they’d be hard-pressed to find many from Tuesday’s performance.<\/p>\n

Jordi Fernandez’s squad was abysmal on both ends, shooting 33-of-96 (38.4 percent) from the field and 6-of-32 (18.8 percent) from three while committing 18 turnovers. Brooklyn struggled to get into its offensive sets all night against Miami’s hounding defense.<\/p>\n

Porter turned in his worst performance of the season, scoring nine points on 3-of-17 shooting from the field and 0-of-9 from three. Fernandez yanked his top player two minutes into the third quarter, holding him out until the 9:43 mark of the fourth.<\/p>\n

The two exchanged words several times during Porter’s benching.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want Mike and the first group to play as hard as they can,\u201d Fernandez said of his decision to pull Porter. \u201cI want to challenge them to do it, because I\u2019ve seen them doing it, especially on the defensive end. If that happens, I can live with whatever happens. If that is there, then you\u2019re being selfless, you\u2019re playing for the team, and just good things happen. I\u2019m trying to just challenge every guy in different ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked Jordi Fernandez about benching Michael Porter Jr. two minutes into the second half of last night’s loss:<\/p>\n

\u201cI want Mike and the first group to play as hard as they can. I want to challenge them to do it, because I\u2019ve seen them do it, especially on the defensive end. If that\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/CuZALHEE6M<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Erik Slater (@erikslater_) March 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Porter was among the NBA’s most efficient scorers early this season, averaging 25.6 points on .482\/.398\/.851 shooting splits across his first 38 appearances.<\/p>\n

Michael Porter Jr., rookie point guards struggle as Nets drop ninth straight\"BrooklynSam Navarro-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Many expected Porter’s first-half performance to earn him his first All-Star selection<\/a>, something he admitted had motivated him. However, the 27-year-old’s production has fallen off a cliff since being snubbed.<\/p>\n

Porter has averaged 19.2 points on 40.8 percent shooting from the field and 23.5 percent (20-of-85) from three over his last 11 outings. He’s posted a -21.5 net rating during that span compared to a -1.5 net rating prior.<\/p>\n

While Porter was terrible, a historically bad performance from Brooklyn’s rookie point guards was equally debilitating. With Egor Demin sidelined<\/a>, Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf each posted zero assists and six turnovers through three quarters.<\/p>\n

The Heat outscored the Nets 16-6 in points off turnovers through three periods, building a lead from which they would never look back.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Nolan and Ben] need to grow. They need to grow and watch it and learn from it,\u201d Fernandez said. \u201cAnd I know they\u2019re better. It\u2019s not an excuse if they\u2019re young. I\u2019ve watched them play, and they\u2019re way better than 12 turnovers to zero assists. How they organize the team, how vocal they are, all that, it\u2019s important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked Jordi Fernandez about Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf combining for zero assists and 12 turnovers through three quarters last night:<\/p>\n

\u201cThey need to grow. Watch it and learn from it. I know they\u2019re better. It\u2019s not an excuse that they\u2019re young. I\u2019ve watched them play, and they\u2019re\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/GH6gl0dz28<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Erik Slater (@erikslater_) March 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Noah Clowney was one of Brooklyn’s lone bright spots on Tuesday. The third-year forward posted 17 points and seven rebounds on 4-of-8 shooting from the field and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. Danny Wolf added 11 points, five rebounds and five assists on 5-of-10 shooting in 20 minutes off the bench.<\/p>\n

The Nets’ nine-game skid has brought them into a tie with the Indiana Pacers for second place in the draft lottery standings<\/a>. They’re just 1.5 games back of the Sacramento Kings for the top spot.<\/p>\n

Brooklyn will have a chance for revenge on Thursday during a rematch with Miami at Kaseya Center.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s tough, honestly. Stacking losses, it\u2019s tough to keep your good energy. But that\u2019s what we\u2019ve gotta do,\u201d Claxton said. \u201cWe play [Miami] in a couple of days, and we just gotta try to find that good energy, especially coming up so we don\u2019t get punched in the mouth.\u201d<\/p>\n