ORLANDO — The Nets need Ziaire Williams to get back to guarding the way he did a year ago, and Jordi Fernández challenged him to do so.

On Friday, the young forward responded with his best defensive effort of the season.

“Zaire, he was a defender that we wanted,” Fernández said. “We got the deflections that we want.”

Ziaire Williams (left) battles Orlando guard Jeff Howard battle for a loose ball during the Nets’ 105-98 road loss to the Magic on Nov. 14, 2025. AP

Williams snapped an offensive funk with 15 points on 6 of 11 from the floor in the Nets’ 105-98 loss Friday at Orlando, coming in having averaged just six points on .233 shooting and .208 from deep over his prior four games.

But it was his work on the other end that was most auspicious.

The forward notched a season-high t

See Full Page