The Nets opened the brand new 12 months Thursday night time at Barclays Middle shorthanded and reshuffled, lacking three starters towards one of many higher groups within the Western Convention.
Michael Porter Jr. was dominated out towards the Houston Rockets with an sickness, Terance Mann sat with a proper hip contusion and rookie Egor Dëmin was held out due to decrease again soreness. The absences compelled Brooklyn into one other spherical of rotation juggling and put fast stress on a bunch already navigating its fifth back-to-back set of the season.
These openings got here with alternative, although not precisely as anticipated.
Rookies Drake Powell and Danny Wolf have been inserted into the beginning lineup for the primary time of their NBA careers, whereas Nolan Traoré, initially anticipated to attract the nod, was as a substitute slated for prolonged minutes off the bench. Ziaire Williams did step right into a beginning function after falling out of the rotation in current video games, however Cam Thomas remained with the second unit for the third straight sport since coming back from harm, persevering with a gradual reintegration course of.
“It’s not about replacing them, because they all do very special things,” head coach Jordi Fernández mentioned. “It’s about a next-man-up mentality. And do it by committee.”
For Traoré, the function adjustment didn’t change the plan. He entered the night time having appeared in 4 straight video games, averaging 6.5 factors, 1.3 rebounds, and a couple of.0 assists in 17.5 minutes per sport whereas taking pictures 44.4% from 3-point vary. Fernández mentioned the main target remained on consistency moderately than utilization.
“He doesn’t need to make the home run play,” Fernández mentioned. “He just needs to hit singles.”
Wolf’s promotion got here with its personal expectations. The rookie large has earned minutes by means of defensive positioning, ball motion, and really feel, however Fernández mentioned the subsequent step is assertiveness, particularly as a shooter.
“I told him the other day he can’t go through whatever minutes he played and not get a 3-point attempt,” Fernández mentioned. “That’s one of his superpowers, his size, his shooting ability, his playmaking, and I need him to be ready.”
Fernández emphasised that Wolf’s growth shouldn’t be judged solely by field scores.
“I think the minutes are super valuable,” Fernández mentioned. “He’s always asking, watching film, working. You can see the willingness of how can I get 1 percent better. I don’t need the guys to get 5% better in one day.”
Dëmin’s absence marked the third time this season he and Porter have missed one finish of a back-to-back. With Brooklyn scheduled to face the Washington Wizards on Friday night time, Fernández acknowledged the bodily toll looming because the schedule tightens.
“Now we’ll play four games a week for five straight weeks,” Fernández mentioned. “We’ll always put their bodies and their health first.”
