Though the Nets certainly wouldn’t mind being the top seed in the Eastern Conference, what matters most to them is player health, writes Brian Lewis of the New York Post. The Nets are currently the second seed in the East with a 37-18 record, one game behind the 38-17 Sixers and 2.5 games ahead of the Bucks.
All-Stars Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving have appeared sparingly together as each player has missed time due to various injuries and personal reasons.
“Health is everything,” head coach Steve Nash noted. “It’d be great to have the No. 1 seed — I think it means a lot, it’s valuable — but not at the expense of losing players or prolonging our injury situation.”
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca wonders about the recent past and current trajectory for the Raptors if Toronto had never traded franchise stalwart DeMar DeRozan for 2019 Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, who departed for the Clippers in free agency after leading the Raptors to a title during his lone season in Canada.
- With injured center John Henson not expected to be re-signed to a second 10-day contract, the Knicks are considering other veteran big men for the newly-opened roster spot, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Berman reports that one option on New York’s radar is 31-year-old power forward Kenneth Faried, who most recently suited up for the Zhejiang Lions of the CBA in 2019.
- Nets head coach Steve Nash appreciates that the team has had to adjust creatively to various absences. “We may not get any games with our whole roster,” Nash conceded, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “I don’t want to worry about or be concerned about things that are out of our control.” The club has employed 29 different starting lineups this season. Nash also acknowledged that, following a surgery on a fractured third metacarpal of his right hand, two-way Brooklyn point guard Chris Chiozza will be unavailable “basically for the regular season.”
In East
First seed is important because injury is the concern
In West
Lakers are likely to be 5th or 6th seed, 1 seed is not important
Just because the Lakers are barely holding onto the 5th seed doesn’t mean they will finish the season there. They could easily fall to 6th or 7th as long as LBJ and AD remain on the sidelines for the next few weeks.
And this isn’t 2020 when the teams were in the bubble during the playoffs, home court advantage will matter this year. They got lucky last season.
You cant talk trash and be trash (c)
LAL was the top seed, but didnt get a home court advantage because of the bubble. Still lit up choking beard in the playoffs)
Get your facts straight.
Definitely read this title too quickly and saw “Farted”. Was disappointed by the content.
Same! Luke, we need more butt-related stories, yesterday!
The Manimal had some decent games with Houston two years ago and provides a lot of energy coming off the bench just like Harrell does.
Knicks should waive Reggie bullock and sign Kenneth Faried
Bullock has been 1 of our best shooters check his percentage and stats. Faried is a good player to get but not for bullock bru he’s been playing well.
What do you think letting bullock go now is it the same feeling or I was right told you bullock has been a bright spot for us this year. Him and Burks are our best shooters besides quickley if your a real fan you would’ve known this fact.
Obviously health is important but seeding in the East is incredibly important. There’s a clear top 3 in the East in PHI, BK, MIL. You don’t want to have to beat 2/3. Made zero sense to me to play Durant vs wolves but not philly.
BK is most talented but I’d be concerned, their big 3 has played what 7 games together? They have no answer for embiid and Giannis. It’s no slam dunk Nets win the East ‘regardless of seeding.’
Yeah I was wondering how many games the big 3 have played together. I don’t think any since KD went down and that was almost two months ago
Nets have decisions to make. The first one that many fans, like myself, have not been considering is whether to make any changes to the roster at all. They don’t have to make any because even if Aldridge is listed as “reserve/retired,” they’ll still have 14 players on standard contracts. There’s no requirement to fill the 15th spot, nor is there a requirement to fill the two-way slots.
That said, I think they should. Even if everyone else on the roster returns to health, they need the flexibility and the ability to manage the stars minutes. They have until Sunday to use Spencer Dinwiddie’s DPE if they so choose. The only player I can think of off the top of my head that they may offer it to would be DeMarcus Cousins. Since he hasn’t been on a standard contract since 4/9, he would be eligible to play for the Nets in the playoffs. The DPE could be useful to lure him away from the Clippers. As far as I know, he hasn’t renewed his 10-day contract with the Clippers or signed a rest-of-season deal yet.
They may decide not to use a standard contract on a big. They could decide to use it on a point guard like Jeremy Lin. They’ll probably waive Chiozza and use his two-way slot on another eligible player. If they look internally for a point guard, it would be Jeremiah Martin. If they look internally for a big that hasn’t signed overseas, it would probably be Tariq Owens.
“Omg it’s so unfair that a top 5 team like the Nets can pickup players in the buyout market!”
“Adam Silver drop everything and fix the buyout market immediately!”
“Wah wah wah, wah wah wah wah wah, wah wah wah!”
Yeah. No.
If they’re looking at Faried they’re really scraping the bottom of the barrel here.
Faried can’t shoot, is undersized to play 5, and was generally not good defensively even at his peak. If the goal is to just fill a roster spot, then I guess that works, but I don’t see Thibs giving him much of a look at all.
Faried had a great run with Rockets. Never understood why they let him walk. Or why no one signed him. He rebs and does play D. He’s a solid rotation guy to me. Is not a center is more a wing 3-4. Don’t see the Knicks signing him. They can just let Toppin get mins. At 31 don’t see why someone didn’t pick him up. Especially a contender, Sixers, Nuggets, Blazers. He’s another body that can guard the big wings (Bron, KD). Knicks are keeping Pelle for playoff run. I guess picking up a vet can’t hurt. But I sure would like to see Toppin play more. Even Frank n Knox. But that don’t seem like it’s ever going to happen.
Faried isn’t a Rose player (can’t shoot) or a Thibs player (can’t defend). So, the radar is broke or Berman made it up.