Schröder-less Nets routed by Cavs

League-best Cleveland rolls through Brooklyn

December 17, 2024 By John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Noah Clowney and the Nets looked lost without recently traded point guard Dennis Schröder Monday night in Downtown Brooklyn. AP Photo by Pamela Smith

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DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — Dennis Schröder is gone. And Brooklyn coach Jordi Fernández is steaming mad.

Not necessarily because the Nets lost their fearless floor lead, but because they simply looked lost without him Monday night in front of 16,588 fans at Downtown’s Barclays Center that watched their team get pummeled, 130-101, by the league-best Cleveland Cavaliers.

“You said it, ‘Dennis is gone'” Fernández said when asked if his recently traded point guard would have made a difference during the Nets’ sixth loss in seven games.

“I don’t care. I love him, I’m happy for him, but he’s not here,” Fernández added. “So right now I’m fighting with my guys. And the ones that are here, they have to fight. And if they don’t fight, there will be consequences.”

Schröder was dealt to Golden State on Sunday to pair with future Hall of Famer Steph Curry in the Warriors’ backcourt as that franchise pursues another NBA title.

Brooklyn got back guard De’Anthony Melton and two-way guard Reece Beekman along with three unprotected second-round draft picks in the swap.

“First and foremost, I think it needs to be addressed that we’re going to miss Dennis, the person, on and off the court,” noted Nets general manager Sean Marks.

“I think what he did for us in the locker room, his leadership. He exemplifies the Brooklyn grit that we talk about.”

While Marks continues to pile up future considerations, Brooklyn is suddenly living up to its preseason billing as a massive rebuilding project that is trying to deal off veteran parts.

“Missing (Schröder) is difficult, but these are the decisions you have to make when the ultimate goal is long-term, sustainable success,” Marks added.

That doesn’t matter to Fernández in the here and now.

He has spent his rookie year at the helm watching his roster get decimated by injuries and hoping his productive veteran players don’t disappear before the Nets prove they can compete for an NBA playoff spot.

Former Net Caris LeVert came off the bench and burned the Nets for 19 points as Cleveland rolled past Brooklyn Monday. AP Photo by Pamela Smith

Brooklyn (10-16) did run out to a 7-0 start against the Cavaliers (23-4) before Cleveland finished the opening quarter with a 37-17 lead, wiping out any hope of the Nets averting their season high-tying third consecutive defeat.

“You lose that first quarter by 20, you wind up losing the game by 29,” Fernández noted.

And it didn’t get much better after that.

The Nets surrendered 24 second-chance points, yielded a whopping 34 points off turnovers and looked disinterested after Cleveland closed the first period on a 32-5 run.

“Our purpose was gone. Those things, including myself, have to be better,” ceded Fernández after Brooklyn welcomed back former coach Kenny Atkinson with its worst performance of the season.

Evan Mobley put up 21 points and former Net Caris LeVert added 19 for the Cavaliers, who have won six of seven and stand poised to seriously challenge for an NBA crown under Atkinson, the coach here from 2016-2020.

“I feel like I reached kind of a maturity as a coach,” Atkinson said of his tenure in Brooklyn. “And that helps in Cleveland. And we’ve got darn good players. That helps.”

Good players are becoming harder and harder to find on the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush, or they’re waiting for their exit.

Ben Simmons ran the point in place of Schröder, finishing with five points on 2-of-8 shooting with four assists and two rebounds. Not that he could immediately replaced a player that was putting up career-best averages of 18.4 points, 6.6 assists and 1.1 steals per contest.

Cam Johnson continued to enhance his trade value with 22 points, Day’Ron Sharpe added 15 off the bench and fellow reserve Jalen Wilson had 15 for Brooklyn, which is still playing without leading scorer Cam Thomas (hamstring) and forward Ziaire Williams (knee).

“We have to hold ourselves to higher standards. We’ll own it and then we’ll move on to the next day,” insisted Fernández.

The Nets will get a couple of days to regroup before visiting Toronto on Thursday night.

The Raptors rank second to last in the Eastern Conference and have lost five in a row, perhaps presenting an opportunity for Brooklyn to get back in the win column.

Fernández, who watched his team lose by 16 in Memphis Friday night, is putting the Nets on notice, regardless of opponent records or roster renovations.

“Whoever wears our jersey will fight more than that. and if not, you will not be part of this club, whether you start or come off the bench,” he fumed.

“We didn’t compete out there. We weren’t selfless, and for sure we didn’t support each other. It’s really simple. I just want to see a better fight.”

Tip-off in Toronto Thursday is slated for 7:30 p.m.

Kenny Atkinson spent four years on the Brooklyn bench. Now, he’s guiding the league-best Cavaliers. AP Photo by Pamela Smith

NOTHING BUT NET: Power forward Trendon Watford left Monday’s game with hamstring tightness and is listed as day-to-day. He had eight points in 10 minutes off the bench. … After visiting Toronto, the Nets will be back at Barclays Saturday to host Utah. … Neither Melton nor Beekman was available for duty Monday as the trade was still pending physicals for all players involved.