Nets make history with unprecedented statistic in West Coast sweep

Jordi Fernandez has preached a “next man up” mentality in his first season as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets. His team took the mantra to new levels during a 3-1 road trip with wins over the Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns.

The Nets became the first team in NBA history to have a different 30-point scorer in every game of a four-game road trip. Cam Johnson, Cam Thomas and Dennis Schroder each scored over 30 points in the first three games. Brooklyn’s most unlikely contribution came from the two-way signing of Tyrese Martin on Wednesday against the Phoenix Suns.

Martin scored 30 points on 8 of 10 shooting from three while seeing his first extended action of the 2024-25 season in a 127-120 upset win. Before the appearance, the 25-year-old had scored 33 career points on 5 of 18 long-range shots.

“Our coaches do a great job of taking performance and medical care into account to develop a plan that will not only get everyone better, but ready to play,” Fernandez said of his team’s successful West Coast swing. “I think that willingness has shown in the last few games. Everyone did their work very conscientiously. And when you’re not playing, it’s not always easy because everyone wants to play, but I think all these guys and coaches bring the energy every day.”

“They work behind closed doors that no one sees, and then when you call their name and number, they are ready to go. So we thank them for their work and the coaches for putting it together and organizing it to find ways to get even better. And then it shows up. I’m very proud of these guys for what they do. We have to continue to do that.”

Brooklyn also received senior contributions from West Coast reserves Jalen Wilson, Keon Johnson, Trendon Watford and Shake Milton. Fernandez’s team was underdogs by more than eight points in all three wins.

Nets will continue to lean on depth to battle injuries

The Nets’ playing strength will be further tested in the coming weeks. They announced on Wednesday that Thomas has suffered a hamstring strain and will be sidelined for at least three weeks. The 23-year-old surprisingly led the team’s eighth-ranked offense this season, averaging 24.7 points and 3.4 assists per game on 46/39/87 shooting, all career highs.

Brooklyn also lost second-year forward Noah Clowney to a sprained ankle. The 2023 first-round pick, who has shot 37.7 percent from three on 4.1 attempts per game this year, will miss at least two weeks.

Meanwhile, two of the Nets’ starters suffered injuries that forced them out during the trip to the West Coast. Nic Claxton is suffering from a back problem which he says will need to be “treated” throughout the season. The 25-year-old has yet to reach full strength this season after signing a four-year, $97 million deal.

Dorian Finney-Smith has an ankle sprain that has sidelined him for Brooklyn’s last four games. The 30-year-old is off to one of the best starts of his career this season, averaging 10.8 points and shooting 41.0 percent from three on 5.6 attempts per game, all career highs.

The Nets are 9-10 following their three-game winning streak. Coming into the season, they are on pace for 39 wins, with a projected win total of 18.5, the franchise’s lowest in 30 years. Fernandez’s side will look to continue their hot start in two meetings with the Orlando Magic at Barclays Center this weekend.