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Julius Randle to Jordi Fernandez: Let Nets’ hot bench unit ‘roll’
Julius Randle urged Nets coach Jordi Fernández to keep the reserves on the court after they built a lead, helping Brooklyn beat Charlotte 114-104. His decision to stay out, despite being ready to return, showed trust in the bench and helped the team close out a close game.
Randle had 22 points and four assists before leaving with 8:46 remaining and Brooklyn ahead 89-87. Danny Wolf scored 12 points and added five rebounds and three assists, finishing plus-17 in 18 minutes, while Terance Mann was plus-11; both played the entire fourth quarter. Noah Clowney left with right knee soreness, and Egor Dëmin missed his fourth straight game with a right leg bone bruise.
In short
- Randle asked to stay out as the bench extended Brooklyn’s lead.
- Danny Wolf and Terance Mann played the full fourth quarter.
- The Nets beat Charlotte 114-104.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Keeping the reserves on the court respected the momentum they had built and rewarded strong performances from players such as Danny Wolf and Terance Mann. It also gave them meaningful responsibility in a close game, while Randle’s willingness to stay out showed confidence in his teammates and helped Brooklyn preserve its lead.
The case against
A close lead can be fragile, and bringing Randle back could have given Brooklyn a proven scorer and playmaker to steady the offence and reduce the risk of a late reversal. Relying on reserves for the entire fourth quarter may also expose them to pressure or fatigue, so a planned return for Randle could have balanced their momentum with experience.