Brooklyn Nets Roll Out Seventh Starting Lineup of the Season in Huge Win vs. Warriors

Wilson, who added a season-high 18 points, was the team’s other non-usual starter. He played 41 minutes on the second leg of Brooklyn’s west coast back-to-back. Schröder and the two Cams have started for Brooklyn when available. After the game, head coach Jordi Fernández was full of praise for the shorthanded Nets.

The team’s closing lineup of Wilson, Williams, Schröder, Trendon Watford and Keon Johnson was “amazing,” Tyrese Martin, a two-way player who isn’t usually in Fernández’s rotation, was “ready to contribute” and had an “amazing verticality.” 

Johnson’s defense was pointed out. So was Watford’s 3-point shooting, as his triple with 1:04 remaining in the game arguably clinched the contest for the Nets. Schröder's scoring and leadership were lauded. Williams' "fight" at the center position was deservedly commended.

All of those efforts embodied the "one percent better" approach that Fernández mentioned his undermanned squad would need to make in his pregame comments: “Can your attention be better? Can your box-outs be better? … Try to do it as hard as you can and give yourself a chance.” 

The Nets’ seven different starting lineups this season have been:

• Ben Simmons, Dennis Schröder, Cam Thomas, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith
• Dennis Schröder, Cam Thomas, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Noah Clowney
• Dennis Schröder, Cam Thomas, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Nic Claxton
• Dennis Schröder, Cam Thomas, Cam Johnson, Ziaire Williams, Noah Clowney
• Ben Simmons, Dennis Schröder, Jalen Wilson, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith
• Ben Simmons, Cam Thomas, Cam Johnson, Ziaire Williams, Nic Claxton
• And now… Dennis Schröder, Cam Thomas, Jalen Wilson, Cam Johnson, Ziaire Williams

The Nets finish their road trip with a Wednesday night game against the Phoenix Suns, although the team's "next man up" resolve might be put to the test with yet another starting lineup. Cam Johnson exited Monday’s game with a right ankle sprain and didn’t return, with an update on his status yet to be provided.