Spanish basketball made history in the State Farm Arena, the home of the Atlanta Hawks. Jordi Fernández, the first national coach in the NBAdirected his first match as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets and joined that list of legends who lead the Fernando Martín (first player) and Pau Gasol (first ring). Plus, he did it well. He almost won (120-116) against the Hawks most advanced in the reconstruction process and who took advantage of the premiere of the 2024-25 season to pay tribute to their legend Dikembe Mutombo.
Atlanta Hawks Dikembe center Mutombo was honored during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
For the technician Badalona It was a night to remember. Little by little he has been making a name for himself and He has already directed clashes of maximum relevancea, like the fight for medals Canada, the team he leads, in the World Cup or the quarterfinals of the last Olympic Games in Paris against the host France and its 20,000 souls in the stands. But the NBA is always special. “We will have emotions, and that’s normal. But we have to help each other. Playing as hard as we can, doing everything necessary for the team, from playing full court, cutting or shooting in the corner, and supporting everyone on the court because we are the best bench in the league. They are key for the entire year, but today is more than the premiere“he said in a message prior to the game.
We have emotions, and it is normal. But we must help each other
The Nets are close to victory
His pupils applied it to him. They came close to winning and tightened the screws on the Hawks at all times. In the final stretch the only thing missing was that final fang to really hit it. The work of Dyson Daniels, the genius of Trae Young and a brilliant Onyeka Okongwu under the basket were moving the Nets away from the lead despite the fact that Cam Thomas showed a stratospheric level.
The shooter Brooklyn scored 36 points in 34 minutes with a great 14/27 shooting and 7/13 from the three-point line (in addition to 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals). It is his second game in which he scores 35 or more in the first game and equaled the three-pointers in a first game in franchise history.
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) guarded by Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schroder (17) looks for an open teammate during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)
I want to build a winning program, be competitive, be in the Playoffs, fight for a championship
But Atlanta, which on the sidelines gave few minutes (19 with seven points) of the number 1 in the Draft Zaccharie Risacherhad the strength to always find a solution when Brooklyn got within one possession, and had good success from the 30 points and 12 assists from the in tune Trae Young plus the brutality of Onyeka Okongwu, who had 28 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks as a cover letter.
Jordi Fernández left empty-handed, but competing very well. In between, a gray debut for Ben Simmons (24 minutes, 6 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists) and the expulsion of his star interior Nic Claxton. “It is an honor to be a coach of the 30. It is an honor to represent the basketball I come from in Spain. The most important thing is that you appreciate it and then move on. Because I don’t just want to coach in the NBA. My goal is to maintain it. I want to build a winning program, be competitive, be in the Playoffs, fight for a championship. It’s always about seeing the next step. Because otherwise, I don’t see the challenge and I would be in my hometown living a great life,” he confessed.
