With Allen Crabbe sidelined with a sore right knee, the Nets handed Rodions Kurucs his first NBA start. The rookie didn’t disappoint.
Kurucs had 15 points and six rebounds to help the Nets to a 125-118 win over Washington on Friday at Barclays Center.
“We started to play more like a team, sharing the ball, doing what coach asked for us. … We were just helping reach other out, supporting each other,” said Kurucs, 20, who found out the day before that he was going to get his first NBA start.
“I was surprised. I was excited, because I never started a game for the big teams. I always like to start from the bench. But I see how it is, and I loved it … It meant a lot. I’m just playing hard and giving my 100 percent on the court. If I feel like someone is into me and trying to help me, I try to give back. I appreciate it.”
Essentially punished by Barcelona for not signing an extension, Kurucs had logged just 903 minutes over the past two seasons, and just 44 with the first team. But he’s already showing he can help the Nets.
“Rodi has been great all year, honestly. His energy when he comes off the bench, you know he’s going to play hard, you know he’s going to make plays,” guard Joe Harris said. “The amount of times he gets the 50-50 balls, just happens to put himself in the right spot. He’s a great defender, athletic offensively, great attacking the rim. He just provides energy for us.”
Kurucs shot 5-of-6 from the floor, and played a key role in the 20-8 second-quarter run that blew the game open.
“He hit two big shots when we were struggling in the 3rd,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “His energy and his athleticism is a big plus. He just keeps doing it, keeps surprising.”
The Nets don’t expect Crabbe’s right knee injury to be a long-term problem.
“He banged his knee. It’s nothing serious. It’s definitely a short-term thing,” Atkinson said.
They had better hope so. Crabbe has shot 47-of-101 (46.5 percent) from deep in his past 15 games after hitting just 26.9 in his first 13 tilts. Since making his first start on Nov. 14, Crabbe entered Friday tied for second in the league in 3-pointers behind only James Harden.
“Allen Crabbe has obviously been a huge part of it. He’s shot the ball extremely well,” Atkinson said. “He’s taken up the slack a bit for Caris [LeVert] with his outstanding shooting.”
General manager Sean Marks offered no timetable on LeVert’s return, but said the guard is back out on the court.
“Well, he’s not sprinting yet,” Marks said. “But I’d say he’s on the court and according to the performance team, he’s doing what he should be doing at this time, which is great.”
