The Brooklyn Nets backcourt has been beset by injuries over the past few weeks, but on Monday afternoon the Nets got some good news.
Randy Foye, who has been out since the start of the season with mild right hamstring strain, is good to go - and will go – when the Nets host the Minnesota Timberwolves at Barclays Center tonight according to Coach Kenny Atkinson.
“It’s welcome news,” Atkinson said of getting the vet who has averaged nearly 11 points and three assists during his 10-year career split between the one and the two. “It gives us some stability, some leadership, defense and I think it’s going to help us, help our young guys.”
Foye will see some time at point guard with Jeremy Lin and Greivis Vasquez both out with injuries, but Atkinson isn’t going to ride Foye for big minutes in his return.
“I don’t think we can throw him out there for 35 minutes, we’ll put a plan in place to ease him in and build him back up,” Atkinson said.
Isaiah Whitehead and Sean Kilpatrick have handled the point guard duties since Lin got hurt in last week’s win over Detroit, the Nets going 1-1 over that span. Whitehead made his first-career start on Friday, scoring eight points with three assists, two boards, two steals and a block. Kilpatrick is averaging 21.5 points over the past two games.
Atkinson likes what he’s seen from Kilpatrick, but doesn't want to sacrifice his instant offense off the bench, which is becoming a nice role for the gritty 26-year-old guard.
“Sean can definitely play the point, he’s done it, he’s handled the pick-and-roll, but we don’t want to get Sean too out of his role,” Atkinson said. “He’s done a fantastic job scoring off the bench for us, so we’re going to have to find - I’m not saying he’s not going to play point guard - but Randy will help alleviate some minutes at that position.”
Timberwolves:
The Minnesota Timberwolves are one of the more intriguing young teams in the NBA.
They boast two first-overall picks in Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, who are both averaging more than 20 points early this season and making nice strides in their young careers. Towns is coming in especially hot, scoring 30 points in back-to-back games entering Tuesday.
Behind Wiggins and Towns, the T-Wolves have an exciting, explosive talent in back-to-back Slam Dunk champion Zach LaVine, who’s also averaging 17.8 points early this season. The T-Wolves also have this year’s fifth-overall pick in Kris Dunn in their stable.
“They have a nice core of young players, they have an excellent coach, management is stable,” Atkinson said of Minnesota. “They are really in a nice spot right now and in a nice situation to build with a lot of talent. They are hungry, those guys are hungry over there.”
The young talent hasn’t resulted in wins so far in the young season, as the T-Wolves enter the game 1-4. Ricky Rubio (elbow) did not accompany Minnesota on their three-game road trip and will not play on Tuesday.