Vet more than a passing fancy
With the Nets’ rotation decimated, they need any offense they can get. And they might have found some playmaking in an unlikely place: their biggest, burliest — and most maligned — offseason acquisition. DeAndre Jordan. The 6-foot-11, 265-pound center — who’s four-year, $40 million deal was largely criticized — has given Brooklyn size, rebounding and leadership. But it’s his newfound passing that’s been an unexpected gift for a team in dire need of it.
“You know what you’re going to get out of D: veteran guy that can really protect the rim obviously, put pressure on the basket on the offensive end and get every rebound that comes off the rim,” Garrett Temple said. “That’s been his game.
“Obviously the assists, the ability to pass, play off cuts with him … that was really big for us.”
Especially big considering injuries to Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, Caris LeVert, Nic Claxton and now David Nwaba.
Now it’s hard to picture where the Nets would be without him.
Jordan had a season-high 20 boards in Saturday’s win over the Hawks, the most off the bench by any player in the NBA all season. He’ll go into Thursday’s tilt against the Knicks third in the league in rebound rate.
Still, the board work from a former re b o u n d i n g champ isn’t surprising. But the way he’s helped facilitate playing highpost offense is no less than shocking. He may not be Nikola Jokic, but with no healthy point guard on the Nets bench, his passing has been invaluable.
“We’ r e p l ay i n g through him a little more now on that second unit, because he can pass the ball and get some more off-ball screening actions for the other guys and cut more and using his passing ability,” Kenny Atkinson said.
“He’s passed it really well. He can be a facilitator out there. So that’s definitely been an area of focus for us, and I think we’ll continue in that direction. I’m very impressed with his IQ when he has the ball.” The injuries have forced Atkinson to try to concoct offense any way he can. After averaging 0.8 assists in October, Jordan boosted that to 2.4 in November and up to 2.6 this month, all in part-time duty. “I’d rather get buckets,” Jordan laughed. “No, I like being out there. The guys are doing a great job cutting; it’s just on me to make a pinpoint pass. So they make it easy for me to pick up my dimes.” He picked up five in the win in New Orleans, and — after Atlanta sagged off him on Saturday — another half-dozen to help beat the Hawks. That made him the first player in Nets history with 12 points, 20 boards and six assists in a game off the bench, and only the third in NBA history. “Guys usually are up a little bit more,” Jordan said. “Then those are the times I have to go to a handoff or attack the basket like I did [Saturday]. Just gotta be able to read it.” Jordan’s 2.7 assists per-36 minutes last season were a career-high. But now he’s on pace for 3.8, averaging 4.1 last month and 4.4 so far in December. “DJ did a good job distributing the ball out of the high post, setting great screens defensively,” Temple said. “I had a feeling [he could pass]; I’ve seen him a little bit in LA. But this year, he’s doing great. “He’s almost 2-1 assist to turnover ratio. For a center that’s supposed to be a rebounder and a rim protector, that’s really good. We love to see him get assists so we can pick up his dimes. He’s a guy that didn’t have that when he f irst came into the league and it shows you his ability to get better and adapt to the game.” Adapt of perish, now as ever is the NBA’s inexorable imperative.