The Brooklyn Nets were the NBA\u2019s youngest team entering this season with an average age of 23.3 years old and were not expected to be good. Those expectations have largely held.<\/p>\n
After\u00a0going 7-4 in December, the Nets have won only five games since Jan. 1, while dropping 26 games. They are 15-46\u00a0following a 124-98 road loss to the Miami Heat on Tuesday,\u00a0extending their losing streak to nine straight games. When last night\u2019s (Wednesday) NBA schedule began, the Nets were tied with the Indiana Pacers for the worst record in the 15-team Eastern Conference and were one game ahead of the Sacramento Kings for the lowest mark in the entire league. <\/p>\n
Prior to Sunday\u2019s 106-102 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers\u00a0at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Nets second-year head coach Jordi Fernandez was asked about the team\u2019s lack of consistent effort. They also got whalloped 148-111 by the Boston Celtics last Friday after trailing by only six with 6:23 left in the third quarter.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe result is something that, at times, we will not be able to control a hundred percent, but once again, what we can control is our purpose and effort, and if we do it consistently, we always see good things.\u201d Fernandez said.<\/p>\n
His message\u00a0emphasized that the Nets\u2019 actions start with him, and the players also must accept accountability. <\/p>\n
\u201cFirst of all, telling them that it\u2019s unacceptable, right? That\u2019s one thing you can do is be honest,\u201d he explained. \u201cThen it is watching film, it\u2019s not about blaming. It\u2019s my fault first, and then, as a group, we have to figure it out and find a way to be more consistent so it (doesn\u2019t) turn into a negative. <\/p>\n
Something negative has to be turned into a positive,\u201d Fernandez added. \u201cA positive is work. Do it together. Go out there and have fun because that\u2019s when you have fun. When you play as hard as you can, and you ask me to sub you out because you\u2019re playing so hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Sunday, Brooklyn rookie forward Danny Wolf scored a season-high 23 points and added nine rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Rookie forward Grant Nelson made his season debut in Boston and scored 11 points while grabbing four rebounds on Sunday against the Cavs. <\/p>\n
With\u00a020 games remaining, the Nets\u00a0will play the Heat tonight again in Miami then face the East\u2019s No. 1 seed Pistons in Detroit before returning to Barclays to take on Monday to face the Memphis Grizzlies.<\/p>\n
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