Brooklyn Nets React to Utah Jazz Loss: 'A Step Slow Everywhere'

The Nets head coach and latest signing discussed the Nets’ fifth straight defeat.

Jan 12, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Tosan Evbuomwan (12) makes a free throw against the Utah Jazz to take the lead with 6.4 seconds left during overtime at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets are on a five-game losing streak, the latest defeat coming in an overtime loss to the Utah Jazz. Head coach Jordi Fernández had mixed feelings about the end of the game.

He said: “Effort, resiliency … finally connecting in the fourth quarter. Happy with that run at the end. We were just not good enough and that’s what happens in the NBA.” 

The game went down to the wire with Tosan Evbuomwan putting the Nets up one through a pair of free throws. However, rookie Isaiah Collier — who had committed an eight-second violation that could've been costly at the end of the fourth quarter — made up for his earlier mistake, splitting Brooklyn’s defense and making the game-winning layup.

“We need to execute better on the defensive end,” Evbuomwan said. “They were able to kind of get what they wanted, they were able to get downhill … Really just being a step slow everywhere, 1 through 5. And again, just gotta take what coach is saying and execute on the floor.” 

Evbuomwan was once again one of the Nets’ bright spots. The two-way forward only joined the team on Jan. 1, but he has made himself an important part of Fernández’s rotation. Prior to the Utah game, the Spanish head coach said that he would keep giving the Princeton alum minutes — and Fernández was once again impressed by Evbuomwan’s performance. 

“Amazing,” he said. “7-for-8 from the field. 22 points. Always under control. Looks like a guy that’s been there before.” 

Another player Fernández was happy with was Ben Simmons. The Australian playmaker finished with 14 points (7-for-11 from the field), six rebounds, nine assists and two blocks in 32 minutes. It was one of Simmons’ most consistent games this season, although he did not play the entire overtime period as his long-term health continues to be closely monitored by the Nets. 

“We need this type of Ben,” Fernández said. “Aggressive, trying to score, very efficient. What I liked the most was him engaging with his teammates, talking to his teammates, telling them what to do, and that was very good.” 

Simmons’ last two seasons came to an end because of back surgeries, and the 28-year-old is yet to play both legs of a back-to-back this season. Brooklyn will play on consecutive nights against the Portland Trail Blazers and the LA Clippers on Jan. 14 and 15, respectively.

Fernández explained how the Nets are handling Simmons’ minutes: “We have to be responsible and I think that a lot of times, true competitors always will tell you, ‘I wanna stay in.’ We talked about some other players, you gotta save them from themselves. Ben, I’m sure, that if I asked him, he wanted to be in. But at the same time, we know where we started this summer, we know where we’re at right now, we like the progression and we’re going to keep doing that. We’re going to do what’s best for him, his body first and then for the team.”

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