The Brooklyn Big Three were reduced to a big one, with Kyrie Irving joining Kevin Durant on Tuesday in Phoenix. Irving was scratched before the match against the incandescent Suns with stiffness in the lower back.
Nets coach Steve Nash said the problem arose during Monday’s victory in Sacramento, when Irving was treated at halftime and played. Although the guardian star was unable to go to Phoenix the night after, Nash played down the injury.
“I hope it will be very short-term, on a daily basis,” said Nash. “He was feeling it during the game [Monday]. He did the treatment at break and we knew he was feeling it. But we all hope – and I think Kyrie believes – that it is not a long-term thing. Hopefully, we can monitor this in the short term and it will be back soon.
“Ky received a small treatment. I know it was bothering him a little bit in the game. He received some treatment in the break, so it wasn’t something he just woke up to [Tuesday] morning. There was some discomfort. “
Irving recorded a stellar 30:44 on Monday, adding 40 points, the best of the season, to take Brooklyn to a dizzying victory. He not only played through the back pain, but also did not show the negative effects of his finger injury, shooting 9 out of 11 from behind the hoop.
“There was a game or two in which the ball was strangely coming out of your hands at times. But it obviously looked like the last couple of games, he’s on top of it, ”said Nash. “You start to become familiar with that finger and that numbness and pain.”
Durant missed the second straight with a sprained left tendon. The Nets gave no indication as to whether he would be back for Thursday’s game at the Lakers.
“I don’t have an update on that. It is still too early, although I think we are optimistic, it is not a long-term thing, ”said Nash. “We couldn’t set a timetable. We still have to monitor this. It is still sore, so we have to see how it fits and what kind of strength it can develop in it. This will only happen when you are ready. “
The Nets founded James Harden, Tyler Johnson, Bruce Brown, Joe Harris and DeAndre Jordan. It was Johnson’s first season start.
Newcomer Andre Roberson was available on Tuesday, although he has not played since the last postseason and may have to regain ground.
“Andre has experience as a defensive wing,” said Nash. “He has a lot of time and experience and hung his hat on the defensive end. Having a piece that can go around and delay people and be part of our defense is the profile that we identified in it.
“Hopefully we will have a chance to bring it to the mix and gelatin. I just shook his hand the first time, so I didn’t even have a chance to talk to him about what we do. But let’s get out there and see how it fits. “
Roberson has a prorated minimum contract. The maximum limit will be $ 998,978 if he is on the list after February 24, according to ESPN. The limit reached by the Nets after Norvel Pelle’s resignation is $ 217,845, and the tax impact is $ 244,195.
Pelle was contacted by the Knicks.