The math was muddled. Nets point guard Devin Harris was attempting to explain how much time was to be added to the initial 7-to-10-day diagnosis of his strained right groin while simultaneously projecting his probable return, and everyone likely left the exchange with a different timetable.
The important part is this:
he's out, will be back in the pool by Sunday and will truly test the injury in two weeks' time. If he's able to move laterally and there exists enough strength to feel confident the injury won't reoccur, he'll play; if not, he'll head back to the trainer's table for more rehab.
"I don’t have a date quite in mind," Harris said. "It comes down to when I come back I want to be completely healthy. Completely."
Harris is joined on the inactive list by Yi Jianlian, Jarvis Hayes, Keyon Dooling and Tony Battie ... and potentially second-leading scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts (15.6 PPG). The sophomore swingman told athletic trainer Tim Walsh that he was feeling ill after Wednesday's game against the Nuggets, and woke up this morning with flu-like symptoms that mandated a quarantine from the team for 24 hours as he awaits a diagnosis (per NBA policy).
Theoretically, if cleared, Douglas-Roberts could drive down to Philadelphia on his own before tomorrow's game (the team left this afternoon), but it's unlikely.
That leaves Terrence Williams in line for his first NBA start, while also serving as the backup point guard and shooting guard. With only nine healthy bodies, expect Bobby Simmons and Trenton Hassell to see time at the 3.
"We're minus Devin and minus Keyon at the point, so we’ve got Rafer (Alston), who we’re stretching out for a lot of minutes," said Nets coach Lawrence Frank. "And then we’re playing Terrence Williams, who’s a rookie and never played the position before; we’re throwing him out there. We’re doing the best we can. We just have to try to figure out the things we can control and maximize those things."
Against the 2-2 Sixers, it means improving the transition defense that broke down so spectacularly in the third quarter against the Nuggets. Philly, which is coached by former Nets assistant and Wizards head coach Eddie Jordan, sports a balanced offensive attack (five players average double-figures) that operates best on the move.
Combo guard Louis Williams is thriving now that he's moved into a starting role, averaging 17.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 24-for-43 (.558). He's got a pair of supremely athletic wings flanking him on the break: Andre Iguodala remains an all-around nightmare (19.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 6.0 AST), and Thaddeus Young has steadily progressed, averaging a 14-3-3 four games into his third season.
And then there's the power forward combo of Elton Brand and Marreese Speights, who are combining to average 25.8 points and 13.6 rebounds.
Defensive specialist Samuel Dalembert rounds out their big-man rotation, bringing a career average of 1.9 blocks per game.
"They’re a good, high-pace team," said Nets guard Courtney Lee. "They like to get out and run. But as far as their plan, both (Iguodala and Young) are athletic, both of them like to get to the rim. We’ve just got to play good defense, keep our man in front and rely on help if we get beat."
Courtney's Corrections
Courtney Lee continues to put extra work in, before and after practice, as he attempts to correct the errant shooting (19-62 FGs, .306) that's plagued his first five games with the Nets. The additional buckets help him to visualize his shot snapping strings with regularity, and feel it become routine.
"I don’t know how much more you can do for him," said backcourt mate Devin Harris. "I’ve talked to him about how when shots are going down, you’ve got to change it up a little bit: try to get to the rim a little bit more, try to get to the free-throw line a little bit more to try to get that jump shot going. But the shots he’s been getting have been his shots, to a 'T': one-, two-dribble pull-ups; getting in the lane, shooting his floaters. Sometimes you go through stretches, and his happens to be at the beginning of the season. But he’s out here working hard."
