SPENCER’S GIFTS
Who needs a superstar closer when you have Spencer Dinwiddie on your roster?
Thursday, Dinwiddie issued a reminder to those who believe the lack of star power will cost the Nets in buzzer-beating, crunch-time possessions.
“If we’re talking about just hitting game winners, like the actual shot itself? Oh, I’ve got the most in the league,” he said. “Aye, most in the league, so you tee me up, it’s a bucket.”
It’s difficult to verify the validity of Dinwiddie’s claim because there is no central NBA database tracking players who hit game-winning shots.
There’s plenty of evidence, however, to suggest Dinwiddie has a strong case.
As recently as the Nets’ Feb. 11 loss to the 76ers, a game in which Mikal Bridges missed a driving layup that could have sent the game into overtime, Dinwiddie nailed a halfcourt shot that tied the game, 101101, until officials waved off his shot, ruling it came fractions of a second after the final buzzer.
There are also the back-toback game-winners he hit for the Mavericks last March — including one buzzer-beater to sink the Nets.
And then, of course, there are myriad crunch-time shots he knocked down during his first stint with the Nets. He hit a game-winner against the Lakers two days before the NBA went on hiatus due to the COVID-19 outbreak. He hit a number of game winners against his former Pistons team and came up big for the Nets during the 2018-19 season in stretches when both D’Angelo Russell and Caris LeVert missed time due to injury.
“You’ve gotta remember, man: I’ve probably seen all phases of the Nets,” he said. “I’ve seen really bad, I’ve seen D-League development, I’ve seen like kinda good, superstars, championship expectations, back to like playoff expectations, gelling group, we’ll see what happens next. Do you go young? Do you stay trying to win now? Like, aye man, any form of the Nets you ask for, I’ve lived it, and I think it’s a pleasure to be back because of that.”
Dinwiddie knows he’s not an NBA superstar. Why? Because he doesn’t get the respect from officials that stars traditionally garner consistently.
“I think where you miss the stars is you get the benefit of the doubt, you get calls, you get a little preferential treatment. Stuff like that,” he said. “Same kind of thing in Dallas: It’s kind of maybe the last four or five minutes where you’re gonna miss a star because any bang-bang play or questionable call, a star’s gonna get it every single time just based off reputation, respect, all that stuff, so that’s where we’re gonna have to be super sharp.
“But in terms of the ability to make the last shot, I have confidence in most of the guys on this team. Joe (Harris), Cam (Thomas), Cam (Johnson) Mikal (Bridges) — and like I said, most in the league, so tee me up and it’s a bucket.”