Nets pass on China chatter
Kenny Atkinson did not see the play in which Kyrie Irving’s face was re-injured in the first of two preseason games against the Los Angeles Lakers out in China, but there are theories.
“I heard different things,” Atkinson said after Nets practice on Wednesday. “He definitely took a shot.”
After an inadvertent elbow during a pickup game fractured multiple bones in Irving’s face before training camp, a hit from Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo sent Irving back to the bench just a minute into the second game of the preseason. Irving has not played in any other games for the Nets so far and was unavailable to media on Wednesday, though he did practice without restriction with the team.
Atkinson said he’s concerned, and for good reason: “The face is a sensitive place,” he said. But he also said Irving will play in the Nets’ final preseason game against the Toronto Raptors on Friday, a game that will be less exhibition and more competitive as both teams look to shore things up headed into the beginning of the regular season next week.
Nets coaches and players alike have raved about Irving in practice. They’ve played together all summer and say he’s raised the level of competition on the floor tremendously. But there’s nothing like real-life game time against another NBA opponent, and Irving has only spent 66 seconds on the floor so far.
“He was great up until the hit in the face,” Atkinson said. “He’s had to play catch-up a little bit. I was pleased, as much as he’s been out, I was pleased with his performance (in practice) today. He’s definitely behind a little bit. It’s normal.”
His teammates can’t wait. After all, Irving is the player they replaced D’Angelo Russell with. He’s the star playmaker whose acquisition jump-started the Nets’ rebuild. The Nets haven’t had him, but they’re excited to finally see him on the floor, hopefully for a full game. More importantly, they want him to take his time and be ready for the regular season.
“You don’t ever wanna force guys back or make them feel like they’re obligated to come back too soon,” Joe Harris said. “So whenever he feels right, feels good and is ready to play, that’s how we want him.”
The Nets returned from China tight-lipped about the NBA’s explosive controversy, falling back on the time-tested “no-comment” strategy.
“In four years here I’ve never commented on a political issue or a social issue,” coach Kenny Atkinson said, setting the tone. “I’m just going to continue in that vein. I’m just going to keep it on the Nets and the on-court stuff, anything you want to know about how we played, the rotations, the pick-and-roll defense. I’d be more than willing to answer that.”
Kyrie Irving, who reportedly was considering boycotting the exhibitions last week in China, declined to speak to the media despite returning to practice Wednesday. Caris LeVert was guarded.
“I feel like as a team we got a lot closer,” the guard said.
“Obviously I don’t want to talk about the other stuff that went on out there.”
The Nets are in a precarious situation for several reasons, and uniquely because their owner, Joseph Tsai, owns one of the biggest companies in China. In a Facebook post, Tsai condemned Rockets GM Daryl Morey for tweeting support for Hong Kong protestors, laying out the reasons he believes the Chinese are sensitive to the subject.
The Nets learned about Morey’s tweet soon after landing in China, and that transi