Next man up
When Nene goes down, Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon step up.
Rockets forward Ryan Anderson played to what he claims is his biggest strength Sunday night.
“Spreading the court and giving everybody space,” he said. “I’m going to keep shooting the ball.”
Perhaps his second biggest strength, then, is his willingness to play out of position when needed, as he did in the Rockets’ 125104 victory over the Spurs in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals at Toyota Center.
The Rockets tied the series at two wins each, and they did so minus one of their key contributors this postseason, save for a couple of early minutes. Backup center Nene suffered a groin injury in the first half and was taken to the hospital for an MRI exam. He played less than two minutes but in that span made two of his three shots and even snagged a steal.
Anderson moved over to center to help spell starter Clint Capela, and overall at both forward and center, he shot 5-of-11 for 13 points to go with four rebounds over 31 minutes.
“Hopefully Nene has a speedy recovery, because he’s huge for this team,” Anderson said. “His physicality and his ability to rebound — he had a great first series (against Oklahoma City), and he’s been having a great series so far here.”
Moving forward the Rockets will count on more minutes from Capela (game-high nine rebounds Sunday), Anderson and Montrezl Harrell to fill in for Nene, if necessary. Capela got in early foul trouble, prompting even more minutes from Anderson at center.
Game 5 is Tuesday in San Antonio and Game 6 will be back in Houston on Thursday.
“Ryan did a great job making those shots and making a difference,” Capela said. “As for myself, I was trying to get defensive rebounds and block shots, and outrun them. Our offense was rolling tonight.”
Even with Nene out of the lineup, Harrell played only two minutes. He entered the game averaging a little more than five minutes per game in the playoffs and started 14 games in the regular season when either Nene or Capela were out, including once when both were out.
Nene entered Sunday’s game averaging 10.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in the playoffs, in about 20 minutes per game in spelling Capela. Nene’s shining moment of the postseason came when he made all 12 of his field goals in the Rockets’ 113-109 win at Oklahoma City on April 23 in the opening round of the postseason.
That tied an NBA postseason record for most shots made without a miss in a single game. Larry McNeill of the then-Kansas City-Omaha Kings first set the record in 1975. Nene didn’t play in 15 regularseason games this season, but those were because of coach’s decision and not injury.
The Spurs won’t feel sorry for the Rockets. San Antonio lost veteran point guard Tony Parker for the playoffs in Game 2 with a torn quadriceps. The Rockets players and coach Mike D’Antoni said late Sunday they weren’t sure of the severity of Nene’s injury.
“We’ll have a better handle on it (on Monday) but obviously he pulled his groin pretty good,” D’Antoni said. “We’ll see. …. I kind of like Ryan at the five, so it was kind of a decision that made itself.”
The versatile Anderson (6-10, 240) said it wasn’t the first time and likely won’t be the last – and he’s up for the task at center.
“If we don’t get (Nene back) guys are going to have to step up, myself included,” Anderson said. “I might have to play some more center and obviously guard the big guys, and focus on getting more rebounds and getting more physical.”
Like everyone else, Rockets guard Trevor Ariza said he hopes Nene is back soon. But if not, he still believes center is in good hands between Capela and Anderson.
“Ryan was big for us,” Ariza said. “He was looking for a game like this, and him showing up big was big for us.”