Through Sunday, Feb. 23, the Brooklyn Nets have been the best defensive team in the league this month with a 107.6 rating.
The Nets rank above teams like Cleveland, Oklahoma and Boston at the top of the NBA standings, keeping every team they’ve beaten in February but one under 100 points. Even the Magic, which hold the second-best defensive rating on the year, fall short of Brooklyn’s remarkable defensive efforts as of late.
NBA standings by February defensive rating (through Feb. 23)
- Brooklyn Nets — 107.6
- Cleveland Cavaliers — 108.6
- Orlando Magic — 109.2
- Los Angeles Lakers — 109.9
- Oklahoma City Thunder — 110.2
- Boston Celtics — 111.1
- Golden State Warriors — 111.2
- Portland Trail Blazers — 112.1
- Detroit Pistons — 113.3
- Minnesota Timberwolves — 114.9
Brooklyn also ranks first in total blocks (64) and eighth in steals per game (8.8), dominating unlike anything we’ve seen from this squad all season.
He's not going to win it, but I hope Jordi Fernandez gets some Coach of the Year love. He's gotten so much out of this Nets team.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) February 21, 2025
Jordi Fernandez makes all the difference
Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez deserves much of the credit here, as his commitment and consistency have often offset difficulties presented by the front office’s rebuild. He’s one of the main reasons the Nets haven’t been able to tank successfully after the Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith trades, with the focus somehow now shifting to a chance at the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the NBA.
Brooklyn is buying into Fernandez’s defensive approach and it’s shown a level of promise Nets World can cling to heading into next season, regardless of how the play-in picture plays out. Nets guard D’Angelo Russell may be the one singing praise for Fernandez the loudest, referring to the highly respected and ascending head coach as a ‘genius’ in terms of his preparation. No matter who plays; no matter who starts or who finishes — the franchise knows Fernandez will never be disarmed from putting his roster in the best position to win.
“For him to still find a way to scrape wins and keep everybody’s energy and spirit high, I think the future is bright here,” Russell said.
With the Nets now stuck with the seventh-best odds (7.5%) to win the No. 1 overall pick, and just a game back from sitting clear in the play-in bracket, general manager Sean Marks will surely be praying for some magic in the draft lottery and plotting on a way to consolidate picks and move up to secure the next elite talent in class full of superstar potential.
Needless to say at this rate, Fernandez and Brooklyn’s defense won’t be helping improve draft status in the borough anytime soon.