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via Imago

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The Brooklyn Nets get a stinging wake-up call from Coach Jordi Fernández! Not long ago, the experts wrote off the team, expecting them to incur a losing record this season to earn a better spot on the draft lottery. But the team under Dennis Schroder came out all guns blazing, floating in the middle of the Eastern Conference. However, now things don’t seem to go their way after the blockbuster trade. Amid this circumstance, Coach Fernández dropped a stern message to his roster!

In short, it’s a meltdown after the embarrassing loss against the mighty Cleveland Cavaliers. In the first game after the Schroder trade, the Nets looked completely off color and surrendered to the Cavs’ domination. At the end of the first half, the Purple & Gold side ran down the home team with a 70-42 lead. At the end of the final buzzer, the Cavs ended the game with a 29-point lead (101-130) and it was the biggest losing margin this season.

Moreover, the Nets also had an underwhelming performance, recording a season-high turnover of 22 and shooting with just 42% from the field. It was enough for Jordi Fernández to drop the hammer at the post-game presser, sending a warning to his players. Firstly, he pointed out the lack of unity, saying, “We got punched in the face, and we didn’t have the togetherness, the fight, to get back and keep punching.” 

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Following that, Jordi expressed his discontent along with an alert, saying, “It is extremely disappointing because whoever wears our jersey will fight more than that, and if not, you will not be part of this club whether you start you come off the bench or whatever the case may be” We aren’t clear on whom this message was intended to but looking at the box score, apart from Cameron Johnson, no one made an impact from the starting lineup. Maybe, the team is missing their leader!

What’s Coach Fernández’s next step in the post-Dennis Schroder era?

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Well, Coach Fernández doesn’t seem to be missing Dennis Schroder. While he warned his players about their spot on the roster, he also dropped a solution in the same breath. He added, “It’s very simple. I just want to see a better fight.” In the absence of Schroder, Ben Simmons took up the leader’s hat in the starting lineup. While he has significant experience in leading the side, he didn’t make much impact on the score.

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The former ROYT winner scored 10 points with 8 assists while the rest of the roster barely provided any support to Cameron Johnson. Losing players isn’t anything new for the Nets. A season ago, the Brooklyn side was literally the talk of the town. The team had Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the roster. Before that, the team had a brief stint accommodating Kai, KD, and James Harden.

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What’s your perspective on:

Are the Brooklyn Nets doomed without Schroder, or can they rally under Coach Fernández's tough love?

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Now, the team is on the brink of collapse. To be honest, the team under Dennis Schroder delayed the collapse for 26 games. But what will happen after that? Even Jordi doesn’t seem to be affected by the trade, as he said, “That’s not in my mind; I don’t care… love him, I’m happy for him, but he’s not here. So right now I’m fighting with my guys… And if they don’t fight, there’s going to be consequences.

So, the message is loud and clear. Will the team respond to the coach’s message? Let us know in the comments.

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Are the Brooklyn Nets doomed without Schroder, or can they rally under Coach Fernández's tough love?