NBA

Nets’ Blatche set for face off with former team

WASHINGTON — After Andray Blatche was amnestied by the Wizards this summer, there weren’t many teams interested in giving him a second chance.

But the Nets took a leap and did so, and have reaped the benefits so far.

Blatche, who faces his first and only team in the NBA prior to this season tonight, is averaging 10.9 points and 5.8 rebounds in a little over 20 minutes per game off the bench. He has formed arguably the NBA’s best 1-2 offensive center tandem in the league with Brook Lopez, and has been a real weapon for the Nets coming off the bench and taking advantage of going up against opposing team’s reserves.

He also filled in admirably for Lopez when he missed seven games with a sprained right foot, averaging 17.6 points and 8.9 rebounds.

“The good thing about the league is … every year is a new year, and he’s played very well,” interim coach P.J. Carlesimo said Wednesday. “He’s scored the ball, he’s rebounded for us, he’s blocked some shots. When he started, the game against these guys was a perfect example.

“And he’s benefitted, frankly, from the situationHe hasn’t always had the same matchups he’s had when he was in Washington primarily as a starter, but when he has started it hasn’t been a problem for him.”

It’s highly unlikely Blatche will get a warm reception from Wizards fans after the team chose to release him via the amnesty clause this summer while still paying him the remaining three years and over $23 million remaining on his contract.

One former teammate, forward Trevor Booker, jokingly told the Washington Post: “I hope he makes it out alive.”

* In a radio interview yesterday, Carlesimo said he wasn’t sure what the status of Kris Humphries would be for tonight’s game after the power forward sprained his left ankle late in Wednesday’s win over the Thunder.

Humphries, who had missed four games with a mild abdominal sprain before returning to the floor in Monday’s loss to the Spurs, finished the win over the Thunder with 11 points and seven rebounds.

“He said he felt good after the game, but I was scared to be honest with you with the way he limped off the court,” Carlesimo said in a radio interview on ESPN Radio yesterday. “But when we walked to the bus he said it felt good … but on the plane it swelled up again. I haven’t seen him, so I’m not sure what his status is for [tonight].”