Trendon Watford tying for the Nets’ best plus-minus on Sunday was as much a recrimination of how poorly they played as how well his season debut went.
The Nets forward had been sidelined since camp with a hamstring injury, finally making his debut of their 114-104 loss to the Knicks on the Garden.
Watford had 4 points, three assists and three rebounds in 13 minutes.
His plus-4 was tied with Cam Johnson for the very best on the team, and he was looking forward to continuing to knock the rust off in Tuesday’s NBA Cup tilt against Charlotte.
“I couldn’t wait to get on the market, man. The energy has been great. The vibe has been great,” Watford said. “So it feels good. Just glad to be back on the market.”
Watford averaged 6.9 points and three.1 rebounds last season, but upped that to 12.9 points and 5.7 boards over the ultimate 11 games.
“Yeah, just how I ended the season last 12 months, really just attempting to be consistent with that, just being a bit little bit of a playmaker, doing every part,” Watford said. “I’ll recover with time and just try keeping that role I had last 12 months, just being that guy to do a bit bit every part, guard every position. So attempting to be that for the team.”
“I’m just sort of every part. [On Sunday,] I used to be playing the purpose loads, got here in for [Dennis Schroder]. Never know what the following game might bring. So I’m attempting to not put myself in a box and just attempting to be whatever I can, Swiss army knife for this team and just play wherever I can and whatever Jordi [Fernandez] wants me to play.”
Having a secondary playmaker with size (6-foot-9, 242 kilos) may very well be helpful, especially with each Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe hurt.
It’s a task that Ben Simmons — pressed into playing center — normally fills.
“Yeah, we’re form of alike so far as just our playmaking,” said Watford. “But we’re different also. So, just need to be myself, and take a look at to maintain things going the way it’s going. Jordi just told me to choose my spots and be aggressive, don’t think an excessive amount of. In order that’s what I attempt to do, and just try to maintain this going forward and get more comfortable.”
Cam Johnson has five 20-point outings in 14 appearances after just six all of last season.
After Noah Clowney was just 7-for-26 (.269) from deep through his first eight games, he’s 10-for-22 (.455) since.
Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle sprain) and Ziaire Williams (right hip tightness) are each listed as probable for Tuesday.
Williams began the season 8-for-12 from deep, but he’s just 6-for-36 since. His 3-point percentage is now all the way down to 29.2, under his 30.0 profession mark.
Bojan Bogdanovic (left foot injury recovery), Nic Claxton (lower back strain) and Day’Ron Sharpe (left hamstring strain) are all out injured, while Jacky Cui, Jaylen Martin and Dariq Whitehead can be with G-League Long Island.
Charlotte’s Tre Mann is questionable with low back soreness, while DaQuan Jeffries, Jared Rhoden, Nick Richards, KJ Simpson, Nick Smith Jr. and Mark Williams are out.
Trendon Watford tying for the Nets’ best plus-minus on Sunday was as much a recrimination of how poorly they played as how well his season debut went.
The Nets forward had been sidelined since camp with a hamstring injury, finally making his debut of their 114-104 loss to the Knicks on the Garden.
Watford had 4 points, three assists and three rebounds in 13 minutes.
His plus-4 was tied with Cam Johnson for the very best on the team, and he was looking forward to continuing to knock the rust off in Tuesday’s NBA Cup tilt against Charlotte.
“I couldn’t wait to get on the market, man. The energy has been great. The vibe has been great,” Watford said. “So it feels good. Just glad to be back on the market.”
Watford averaged 6.9 points and three.1 rebounds last season, but upped that to 12.9 points and 5.7 boards over the ultimate 11 games.
“Yeah, just how I ended the season last 12 months, really just attempting to be consistent with that, just being a bit little bit of a playmaker, doing every part,” Watford said. “I’ll recover with time and just try keeping that role I had last 12 months, just being that guy to do a bit bit every part, guard every position. So attempting to be that for the team.”
“I’m just sort of every part. [On Sunday,] I used to be playing the purpose loads, got here in for [Dennis Schroder]. Never know what the following game might bring. So I’m attempting to not put myself in a box and just attempting to be whatever I can, Swiss army knife for this team and just play wherever I can and whatever Jordi [Fernandez] wants me to play.”
Having a secondary playmaker with size (6-foot-9, 242 kilos) may very well be helpful, especially with each Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe hurt.
It’s a task that Ben Simmons — pressed into playing center — normally fills.
“Yeah, we’re form of alike so far as just our playmaking,” said Watford. “But we’re different also. So, just need to be myself, and take a look at to maintain things going the way it’s going. Jordi just told me to choose my spots and be aggressive, don’t think an excessive amount of. In order that’s what I attempt to do, and just try to maintain this going forward and get more comfortable.”
Cam Johnson has five 20-point outings in 14 appearances after just six all of last season.
After Noah Clowney was just 7-for-26 (.269) from deep through his first eight games, he’s 10-for-22 (.455) since.
Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle sprain) and Ziaire Williams (right hip tightness) are each listed as probable for Tuesday.
Williams began the season 8-for-12 from deep, but he’s just 6-for-36 since. His 3-point percentage is now all the way down to 29.2, under his 30.0 profession mark.
Bojan Bogdanovic (left foot injury recovery), Nic Claxton (lower back strain) and Day’Ron Sharpe (left hamstring strain) are all out injured, while Jacky Cui, Jaylen Martin and Dariq Whitehead can be with G-League Long Island.
Charlotte’s Tre Mann is questionable with low back soreness, while DaQuan Jeffries, Jared Rhoden, Nick Richards, KJ Simpson, Nick Smith Jr. and Mark Williams are out.
