The Nets can’t overcome the miserable 3-point shooting loss to the Jazz

The Nets have overcome a series of injuries to key players and won just enough games to stay near the lottery cut-off this season, but they couldn’t overcome terrible outside shooting and overall sloppy play on Saturday night.

With Dorian Finney-Smith as the last starter on the roster, the Nets shot just 7 of 40 from 3-point range, but coach Jordi Fernandez was more upset about 19 turnovers in a sloppy 105-94 loss to the Jazz at Barclays Center slipping into a tie with Detroit for the 10th play-in spot in the Eastern Conference.

“It’s about controlling the things that can be controlled. You can control how you handle the ball. Of course, ball losses are part of the game, but we have to get better,” said Fernandez. “And if you get hit, can we come together and respond? Up and down, I don’t think we quite made it. I expect our guys to get better.

“We can’t control whether we play 7-a-side. I think the recordings were good recordings. I wish we could shoot better, but I’m not mad at the guys because we made good shots. But we just have to get better.”

Encouragingly, at least, Ben Simmons posted his third straight double-digit scoring game for the Nets, who play at Miami on Monday, with a season-high 15 points along with 10 assists and six rebounds.

But he and Cam Johnson also each missed six turnovers in the loss.

“I think it was just ball losses. Of course that affects the return (to defense) and too many easy transition throws,” Simmons said. “I think we got a lot of great looks from 3 and 7 for 40, which is right there. When a lot of these shots are fired, the conversation is different.”

Noah Clowney started in place of Finney-Smith and finished with 10 points and six boards, while Johnson added 18 for the Nets (11-17).

Lauri Markkanen scored 21 points while Svi Mykhailiuk and Collin Sexton each scored 18 points, helping the Jazz (7-20) win consecutive games for the first time this season.

Nets general manager Sean Marks already dealt outside linebacker Dennis Schroder last week, and players like Johnson and Finney-Smith could also be moved before the Feb. 6 trade deadline to create even more playing time for younger players.

Schroder’s departure has also placed Simmons back in the role of the team’s primary point guard, potentially allowing for additional minutes on offense.

The three-time All-Star scored six early points, while Jalen Wilson and Tyrese Martin combined for a dozen points off the bench in the first quarter, giving the Nets a one-point lead, 24-19.

The Jazz used a 9-0 spurt with 3-pointers from Sexton and Johnny Juzang to take a 42-39 lead late in the second quarter.

The Nets finished the half 3 of 16 from deep, including five misses from Keon Johnson, and went into halftime trailing by five.

Clowney grabbed two offensive rebounds and two dunks early in the third period for his first points of the game, but the Jazz extended their lead to 10 for the first time with 3:41 left.

Jordan Clarkson (16 points) added a reverse dunk and a layup in the final seconds for a 12-point lead at 75-63 early in the final quarter.

Clarkson also hit a three-pointer in the first minute of the fourth period as the Jazz pulled away to a 20-point lead.

“There are simple things you have to do and we didn’t do them, we paid for them,” Fernandez said. “We’re not going to get this game back, so we can be angry, angry at ourselves, and of course move on.”