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Coaches in all sports speak all the time about the importance of little-used players making the most of their opportunities when they arise.
A few unproven kids showed they were all right this week amid the Nets’ hairy COVID situation.
With seven teammates — including James Harden — sidelined due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols, rookies David Duke Jr., Kessler Edwards and Day’Ron Sharpe helped Kevin Durant within a makeshift eight-man rotation in the Nets’ overtime win Tuesday night over Toronto.
“I thought our rookies responded incredibly well to their first stint of heavy minutes, heavy responsibility,” Nets coach Steve Nash said before Thursday’s game against Philadelphia at Barclays Center. “One night could be aided by that energy of getting your opportunity, but to sustain it and for the other team to prepare for you in that way makes it more challenging every night as you go.
“So it is something we’ll have to watch and see how they respond, but the most important thing is that they play with confidence, they play with a certain amount of freedom and at the same time are just playing really hard. When you’re a young player you can make up for a lot of your mistakes or experience by playing really hard, having a ton of energy and just having that will.”
Edwards, signed to a two-way contract after being a second-round draft pick (44th overall) out of Pepperdine, was recalled from the Long Island Nets, the team’s G-League affiliate, ahead of Tuesday’s game. The 6-foot-8 forward logged 40 minutes off the bench, finishing with 17 points on 7-for-12 shooting with 10 rebounds and three made 3-pointers.
“It feels good, especially for that to be my first real minutes in the regular season. That was a really big game. Just felt good to play a lot of minutes at home and get that one done in OT,” said the 21-year-old Edwards, who played for the Nets’ summer league team. “Man, being a two-way player, I was actually with the Long Island team, so had just got the call that I was going to be needed up here. I came here [Tuesday] night and just got ready for the game.”
Duke, a rookie guard out of Providence, similarly had totaled just 30 minutes earlier this season, but he netted 10 points with 13 rebounds over 37 minutes in his first career start.
“Well, they were very productive clearly. I thought they defended, they rebounded and they were able to score the ball and affect the game on offense, as well,” Nash said when asked about his first extended look at Duke and Edwards. “They both have NBA physicality, they’re both good defenders and have size at their positions, and I think they both have capabilities offensively to develop into good players.
“So it was good to see those signs on display and to see them take their opportunity and affect winning. But they’re still development players, we’re still trying to see them grow and continue to improve because they do have a lot of upside remaining.”
Sharpe, the team’s other first-round pick (29th overall), hit all three field-goal attempts for seven points and grabbed seven rebounds in 13 minutes off the bench.
Harden, Paul Millsap, LaMarcus Aldridge, Bruce Brown, James Johnson and Javon Carter remained out of the lineup for Thursday’s game, with G-League signing and former Knicks guard Langston Galloway providing an additional rotation body. Joe Harris (ankle surgery) and Kyrie Irving (unvaccinated) also remained unavailable.
Georges Niang was sidelined due to health and safety protocols for the Sixers, who also have been without All-Star guard Ben Simmons (personal reasons) all season.
“I think we always lean a little bit towards ourselves,” Nash said. “Trying to make sure that we’re prepared and that we’re growing, we’re getting better, we’re improving, we’re working on the things we need to address.
“So I think it’s always about your team more so, so I would say it’s more troubling to have to adjust to who’s available in your locker room than the other teams.”
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