NBA

Teletovic Nets big minutes

Like it or not, you’re probably going to see more of Nets forward Mirza Teletovic.

And you pretty much liked what you saw Friday night when Teletovic was part of the fourth quarter comeback that turned an embarrassment into, well, less of an embarrassment. It was still a loss as Dallas claimed a 98-90 win at Barclays Center.

“He sparked us,” center Brook Lopez said.

All part of the grand plan.

Teletovic, whose development is strongly favored by ownership, according to sources, played 15 second half minutes (including the entire fourth quarter) and scored five points. Three came on an and-one that resulted from simple hustle and following a play in the fourth quarter. With 5:30 left, it got the Nets within 11. .

“It’s very important when I come off the bench, because I know some guys play a lot of minutes and they lose a little bit of energy,” Teletovic said. “So I try to give that little extra bit of energy.”

No arguments from Moscow. The “development” of the young Nets players, especially the 6-foot-9 rookie from Bosnia, has become an increasing important point for ownership. Interim coach P.J. Carlesimo has been “encouraged” to embrace the developmental train, according to multiple sources. Carlesimo said Teletovic “is going to be the priority going forward.”

“That’s good to hear,” Teletovic said.

“But at the end of the day, P.J. is the coach and the rotations are his call,” one source said.

“We have to carve out time for Mirza,” Carlesimo said, “and look at him for a little while and figure out the rotation after that. It’s a two-part process. The first process is to figure out how we’re going to get him time on a regular basis and the second one will be … as we get later in March to start saying ‘all right this is going to be our rotation?’”

Teletovic has played in 36 of 60 games, cracking double figures in just 12. He has been good, he has been bad. And defense is always a question. Still, Carlesimo claimed, “he’s still the biggest piece we have to address.”

As he has said in the past, Carlesimo discussed the possibility — albeit slim — of Teletovic playing some small forward.

“I can play small forward with no problem,” Teletovic said. “I respect the coach’s decision always. I respect P.J. and his job is difficult because I’m on an NBA team with five big men who can play.”

But it might be moot. Doesn’t sound like there’s much time at three, either.

“It would be almost as hard to carve out minutes at three for him,” Carlesimo said.

There also is that whole matchup thing.

“The same problems he causes for other teams they can cause for him depending on how they play,” Carlesimo said. “Is their big strong guy going to overpower him and can we keep him off the glass? Can he stop post ups? Can that guy cover Mirza in the open floor? He’s going to be a mismatch guy.”