When Rondae Hollis-Jefferson took the court for the tip-off against the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, it continued a recent trend. It's up in the air if it's leading to something else.
Hollis-Jefferson was tasked with defending Ben Simmons, the 6-foot-10 Sixers point guard who is a defining matchup issue for any team. It was at least the third time in a week that Nets coach Kenny Atkinson broke away from his regular rotation patterns to send Hollis-Jefferson after a troublesome opponent.
"We can put him on a point guard, we can put him on a four, we can put him on a five," said Atkinson. "It’s just a huge advantage, his defensive versatility."
In Miami a week ago, Atkinson put him on the Heat's Josh Richardson in the fourth quarter, and the Nets pulled away to a 104-92 win as Richardson went the final quarter without a field goal. The next night in Dallas, Hollis-Jefferson came in to start the second half on the Mavericks' Harrison Barnes after Barnes put up 18 first-half points.
Then it was Simmons, with Hollis-Jefferson in the starting lineup for just the second time this season.
"That’s what I do," said Hollis-Jefferson. "I love to play defense and I love to take pride in getting stops. (Atkinson) knows that, I know it and we’re both on the same page.”
Inserting Hollis-Jefferson with the starting group twice in three games -- including the opening of the second half in Dallas -- begs the question if the fourth-year player is closing in on moving back into the starting lineup on a full-time basis. After the Sixers game, Atkinson described "good early returns" from the game's starting group.
“Haven’t decided yet," said Atkinson on Monday if Hollis-Jefferson would start again. "But I liked it, I liked the change. But as he’s come back from injury I think he’s slowly starting to get back to his last year form. So we’ll just keep looking at it and make a decision tomorrow or the morning or the game.”
Last season, Hollis-Jefferson was Brooklyn's second-leading scorer with 13.9 points per game. That was just part of his elevated numbers across the board, including a team-leading 6.8 rebounds per game and a shooting percentage that leaped from 43.4 to 47.2.
But over the summer, he suffered an adductor strain while playing in Jeremy Lin's charity basketball game in China. When training camp began, Hollis-Jefferson was still working his way back and he ultimately missed Brooklyn's entire preseason schedule.
In his absence, newly acquired veteran Jared Dudley filled the starting role at the 4 spot, with preseason injuries taking fellow returning starters Allen Crabbe and DeMarre Carroll out of the early-season lineup as well.
With his son being born on opening night, Hollis-Jefferson's season debut was delayed until Brooklyn's fourth game of the season, in Cleveland on Oct. 24. He posted a season-high 21 points in a home win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 4, and made his first start of the season in place of an ill Jarrett Allen at Minnesota on Nov. 12.
But overall, he's averaging 21.6 minutes per game compared to last season's 28.2. His 30 minutes against the Sixers on Sunday matched his season high, set previously in that first game against Philadelphia. On Monday, he described the season as a "rollercoaster" in terms of adjusting to coming off the bench and seeing his minutes vary.
"It was tough for me mentally," said Hollis-Jefferson. "My pride was getting in the way of that. But then after a little while, I was just like, man, ultimately at the end of the day, when you get out there it’s to compete and play as hard as you can and make the best of the time you can when you’re out there. And then also to come in and just give positive energy. Whether I’m out there or not, it’s something I’ve been saying, every day for the past week or so it’s just been good vibes and positive energy. I just try to rub that off on the guys. Them hearing that, them hearing my voice and those things, it gives them a little spark."
Atkinson believes that both Hollis-Jefferson and Carroll -- who had ankle surgery on the eve of the season opener and returned Nov. 9 in Denver -- are still working their way back to playing at the level they did last season, when each posted career highs in points and rebounds. But whatever comes next for Hollis-Jefferson, he enjoyed the moment on Sunday night.
“It feels good, man, it feels good to be able to say," said Hollis-Jefferson. "We don’t know if it’s set in stone, but just being able to have that start last night, it felt good. Because you know you’re not going to be able to start just because, you’ve gotta put in the work and doing the little things. So knowing that I’m doing the right things and everything, it feels good."