Brooklyn Nets 'Gotta Do Better' Following Blowout Loss

On a night that Philadelphia 76ers stars Joel Embiid and Paul George sat out, the Brooklyn Nets couldn't get out of their own way.

Hot three-point shooting from Jalen Wilson, Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith kept the visitors in within striking reach for the first three quarters of action, but Brooklyn's inability to take care of the basketball led to their unraveling in the fourth.

“We weren’t strong with the ball, we didn’t move the ball. It’s fairly simple. We didn’t do what we were supposed to,” Noah Clowney said via the New York Post. “We turned the ball over, they leaked out, they got buckets off it. But I’m not gonna blame it on us missing guys. We gotta do better with the group we got.”

Ben Simmons, who had teased a return to All-Star form in the Nets' prior preseason contests, was held out of Wednesday night's contest due to previously scheduled rest. The decision left Dennis Schröder as the lone facilitator in the starting five, whom the 76ers veteran defenders overwhelmed.

“We went from two point guards to one; that showed in taking care of the ball. But the reality is our true point guard Dennis had five turnovers,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “We cannot afford him to play like this, because he’s a really good playmaker, he’s a floor general, he does the right thing. So he has to be better."

“Obviously adding another point guard will help us. But the reality is 20 turnovers for 31 points is unacceptable."

Thankfully, Brooklyn is expected to see Simmons return for their final preseason clash on Oct. 18 against the Toronto Raptors. But Fernandez and company must find a way to limit the turnovers should he not be available in the future.