When Ryan Anderson was dropped from the Nets’ rotation before New Year’s, coach Lawrence Frank’s reasoning was sound.
Anderson’s back was aching, his shooting was wanting as a backup to Yi Jianlian, who also was scuffling with his shot. Say what you will about continuity, but none saw the logic in subbing a struggling shooter, Anderson, for a struggling shooter, Yi.
But now, Anderson is healthy, Yi isn’t (broken pinkie) and the rookie will make his first career start tonight when the Nets look for a fourth straight win at home. They’ll greet former Net Nenad Krstic and the Thunder – while welcoming Devin Harris back from a hamstring injury that KO’d him for 3 1/2 of the last four games. Anderson replaces Yi, who is out 4-6 weeks.
“I’m just going to come in like every other game I’ve played,” said Anderson, who went for an MRI on his back Saturday – no damage was found. “I’m going to just try and be a rebounder, a hustle guy and try and get some easy points. That’s kind of my strategy, if I have one.”
In his last eight appearances – one coming after his benching – Anderson shot 7-of-34 (.206), including 3-of-17 (.176) on 3-pointers while averaging 3.5 points. Blame the back for some.
“That was a big part of my slump. I was compensating a lot. I looked at film and I was compensating to one side,” said Anderson, who has sat the last four games and 5-of-6 but said the back is “the best it’s felt.”
He’d rather emulate Yi of late. Yi had 58 points in three games before his injury.
“Yi’s been playing amazing. You could see his confidence [growing],” said Anderson, who like Yi lately vows to be an inside-outside guy.
But all that is in the past as, at 20, he’ll be the youngest Net to start since Clifford Robinson was 19 in 1979-80. With Brook Lopez, he’ll also give the Nets two rookie starters for the first time since March 5, 2002 (Richard Jefferson and Jason Collins).
Frank had options but chose Anderson, in part, to jumpstart the rookie. One possible option was Eduardo Najera, but Frank likes the role the veteran forward has adopted – as a supply of energy and defense off the bench.
“Eduardo’s really getting his niche, doing what he’s doing, so as opposed to changing everything, we’re going to give Ryan an opportunity,” Frank said.
Fine with Najera.
“I’m an energy player, so, I like coming off the bench,” Najera said. “Don’t get me wrong, if he needs [me] to start I’ll [do it], but I like what I’m doing.”
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Krstic has 24 points and 10 rebounds in three games. Krstic criticized the Nets’ handling of his injury when he signed in Russia, but Nets seem forgiving.
“Nenad is one of the nicest kids in the world. I was a little disappointed about what he said, but that’s water under the bridge,” Frank said.