Nets drop opener despite fighting back, literally and figuratively

ATLANTA – Just because the Nets aren't contending for a championship in coach Jordi Fernandez's debut season doesn't mean they can't show fight. Maybe they showed a little too much in his first game as manager.

The Nets temporarily lost their composure in Wednesday's season opener, then lost 120-116 to Atlanta at State Farm Arena.

As a six-point underdog, shorthanded and projected by bookmakers to win by a league-low margin of 19.5 games, few expected the Nets to win this game would win.

Still, they led late in the third quarter and trailed just 90-89 with 8:22 left when they allowed a 12-3 run – helped by two frustrating fouls, including a flagrant 2 by Nic Claxton that ejected the midfielder.

It marred the debut of Fernandez, the first Spaniard to become an NBA head coach and only the third European.

“Sure. It's definitely an honor to be one of 30. It's an honor to represent the basketball where I come from, right, being from Spain,” Fernandez said before the game. “I'm in I grew up in a FIBA ​​environment and then came to the NBA where I worked for 15 years. So the journey is really cool. And like I said, I'm extremely proud and very happy.

“At the same time, the most important thing is to acknowledge that and then move on; Because my goal is not just to train in the NBA. My goal is to maintain it, build a successful program, be competitive, be in the playoffs and compete for the championship. It's always the next step. Otherwise, if I don't see the challenge, I'll stay in my hometown and probably have a great life. So I have to have a reason to live with this crazy schedule and do what we do every day.”

The performance was not victorious, but solid.

After all, Nets owner Joe Tsai and general manager Sean Marks have started a rebuild and are fighting for the top pick in the draft.

But they also want to develop the youth they already have, and there were positive signs on Wednesday night.

Cam Thomas scored a game-high 36 points, albeit 20 in the fourth quarter. Jalen Wilson added 16 points off the bench. Claxton – coming off the bench after missing the preseason with a sore hamstring – was ejected for a foul on Dyson Daniels, a borderline clothesline foul that was upgraded from a common foul to a flagrant foul, with the Hawk getting up from the floor and followed him.

The Nets' start was slow and shaky.

Brooklyn allowed a three-pointer from De'Andre Hunter, and then Ben Simmons (six points, eight assists) handed the ball to Clint Capela with another three-pointer from Daniels.

Trailing 13-4, the Nets fought their way back into the game with a 9-0 run. Simmons found Cam Johnson for a driving layup that increased the score to 13-13.

Brooklyn held the Hawks scoreless for 4:23, forcing eight straight missed shots and a pair of turnovers.

After a dunk from Onyeka Okongwu (28 points), the Nets trailed 35-31 and had 10 unanswered points.

Dorian Finney-Smith capped the blitz with a driving layup to make it 41-35 with 7:32 left in the half.

But Finney-Smith picked up his fourth foul just seconds before halftime and Simmons picked up his fourth with 6:59 left in the third and the Nets held on to a 64-63 lead.

The lead didn't last.

Trae Young (30 points) drove to the basket to give the go-ahead for a layup on the next play. Noah Clowney gave the Nets the lead again on the next play, but the lead was short.

After Hunter tied the game with a free throw, a Daniels 3-pointer with 5:26 left in the third quarter gave Atlanta the lead.

The Nets never led again the rest of the evening.

“It’s huge for him. I'm happy for him. But a lot of work and energy will go into it. It's the first game; We'll take it day by day. I’m happy for him,” said Finney-Smith. “Of course we keep our goals small so that we get better from game to game. …But of course we want to make it to the playoffs. In any season, no one says we're trying to lose. We’re trying to win as many games as possible.”