Yes, Brook Lopez had gone through this feeling before — like two days ago. There he sat, waiting for the call. And waiting a little more.
Last night in the fourth quarter, the Nets All-Star center awaited a call that never came as Andray Blatche played the entire session, scoring 10 of his 14 points. Lopez understood. After all, his first three quarters where hardly All-Star caliber.
“I get it,” said Lopez, who admitted he was “not at all” ticked to sit the whole fourth quarter. “Dray was going great, that group was going. I was fine with it.”
Just like he was fine with sitting Sunday until he was the final All-Star inserted for the East. He adopted the same policy then that he did in last night’s thrilling Joe Johnson-produced 113-111 overtime win against Milwaukee.
“It was a good show, definitely. Fun to watch,” said Lopez (19 points, 9 rebounds, 6-of-17 shooting), who returned for overtime and was ineffective (5 minutes, 0-of-4). “Watching guys like Joe and Dray and [Keith Bogans] it was entertaining.”
Sort of like Sunday. After admittedly growing antsy and darn near hyperventilating to enter in Houston, Lopez heard his name. He immediately started ripping off his warm-ups. LeBron James shook his head about the less than veteran move.
“I was taking them off by the bench and LeBron said, ‘You can do that at the scorer’s table. The ball boy will get it,’ ” said Lopez. “I told him I don’t do it this way. I usually take it off before the game because I’m starting.”
Oops.
Hey, live and learn. And that’s what the Nets — and Lopez — hope happens after the young center’s first All-Star experience: that he learns. The 13th Net ever selected for the classic, Lopez played 11 minutes in Sunday’s game, scored three free throw points, grabbed five rebounds and missed his only shot — a 3-pointer.
Again, there is a parallel to last night: neither Lopez film is going to Springfield.
“I kept wanting to go back to him but I had in the back of my mind he had just been through the whole All-Star thing,” interim coach P.J. Carlesimo said of Lopez. “And frankly, Dray just kept making plays.
“A lot of guys would not be accepting of that, but Brook is and that’s great,” said Carlesimo, who acknowledged “the difference in the game was the bench” after the Nets’ subs outscored Milwaukee’s, 44-15.
Lopez was in no position to argue. He admitted he was — what’s the word? — oh yeah, bad. Especially when he got back in the game.
“I’m disappointed in myself that I came in in overtime and I don’t think I really was there. But the team picked me up,” Lopez said. “I don’t even think it was fatigue. I don’t know if I checked out or what. But I just wasn’t mentally there in overtime.
“It’s on me. Completely on me. I have to be ready whenever he calls my number. But like I said, Dray was great. When he was in he gave us great minutes. It was definitely the right decision.”