While a fourth-quarter collapse leading to a loss may improve draft lottery odds, it did not cure the immediate sting and disappointment Brooklyn Nets coach Jordi Fernandez and his players felt Thursday night.
Fernandez and the Nets hope to feel better about things Saturday when they host the NBA-worst New Orleans Pelicans.
After Thursday’s 123-110 home loss to the Utah Jazz, the Nets are 4-6 over their past 10 games since losing 11 of their first 12 often in non-competitive fashion. Brooklyn allowed more than 120 points for the first time since its 134-98 loss to the New York Knicks on Nov. 9.
After getting a 13-point home win over the Charlotte Hornets and a 10-point win at the Chicago Bulls, the Nets were outscored 42-20 in the fourth quarter and gave up a 25-12 run over the final 6 1/2 minutes.
“It was a complete disconnection,” Fernandez said. “I don’t care about the fatigue or whatever you want to call it. You have to stay focused and locked in. This is the NBA. Out of the back-to-backs we’ve played, we’ve been really poor. (Thursday) we played hard for three quarters, and then in the fourth, it’s been a disaster collectively. And it was the energy and body language, and we have to all be better.”
Fernandez saw his team struggle in the fourth while Michael Porter Jr. rested his back on the second night of a back-to-back after scoring 68 points in the previous two games. In the final 12 minutes, the Nets shot 7-of-19 overall, missed 9 of 11 3-point attempts, committed seven turnovers and allowed 63.6% shooting by the Jazz.
Noah Clowney scored 29 points and Ziaire Williams added 23. Rookie Danny Wolf contributed 17 as Brooklyn got 63 points from its reserves.
“We had control of the game for the most part and then let it get away,” Wolf said. “Defensively in the second half, I don’t think we did nearly as good a job as we could have. I think it was an extremely winnable game and let it slide.”
The Nets also limited the minutes of rookie Egor Demin, who finished with three points and was dealing with an upper respiratory illness.
New Orleans, the only team with 20 losses, is 1-10 since coach James Borrego replaced Willie Green. The Pelicans snapped a nine-game skid with their 143-130 win over the Chicago Bulls on Nov. 24 and are on a five-game skid ever since.
Each defeat in the current skid came by 12 points or fewer, including a 125-116 home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. The Pelicans were outscored 37-26 in the fourth quarter after blowing a 15-point lead in a 149-142 overtime loss to Minnesota on Tuesday.
Trey Murphy III scored 21 points Thursday after getting 33 Tuesday. Rookie Jeremiah Fears added 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists and has scored at least 20 in a career-high three straight games.
Even with Murphy and Fears leading the offense, the Zion Williamson-less Pelicans faltered defensively.
“We had a couple of turnovers, we got stagnant against their zone defense and missed a couple of layups, and they got some points in transition and that was the game,” Borrego said. “We gave up 35 points in the first quarter and 37 in the fourth. Defensively, we’ve got to be better in those two quarters.”
