With the Nets facing a must-have first-round Game 4 on Saturday at Barclays Center — already trailing Philadelphia 2-1 — nothing is off the table.
Coach Kenny Atkinson is mulling switching his lineup. If he doesn’t start the red-hot Caris LeVert — something he’s considering — he’s willing to extend his guard troika’s playing time, giving them 40 minutes if need be, as these are desperate times.
“Sure, I’d consider it. I’m not saying it’s going to happen; there’s a lot of different options we can do,” Atkinson said of starting LeVert, who only started once since March 19.
“Yeah, it’s all open. We have to really look at it. This is part of the adjustment game, figuring out what they’re doing and how we can counter it. The first part of that is who you’re playing and when you’re playing them. Definitely, we’re back to the drawing board with that.”
Atkinson had better find some solutions on that drawing board. After consecutive losses, another defeat would put the Nets on the brink of elimination headed back to Philadelphia for Tuesday’s Game 5.
And whatever they cook up will likely heavily involve LeVert, coming off a 26-point, seven-rebound night in Game 3. He’s averaging 20.7 points and shooting a torrid 53.3 percent from deep.
“Honestly, a lot of what I’m doing is a byproduct of how they’re guarding everybody else. They’re denying Joe [Harris], denying D’Angelo [Russell], same with Spencer [Dinwiddie],” LeVert said. “At times they’re playing trying to make me beat them.”
While Harris has struggled on both ends against JJ Redick, LeVert is a top defender and has penetrated at will.
“He’s in a good rhythm right now. He’s really attacking the basket. Obviously his speed is hard for them to deal with,” Atkinson said.
It raises the question of whether he would start LeVert — something Russell said would help him.
“Yes, sure. Add another ball-handler out there, it definitely takes the pressure off me to bring it up and facilitate. I can almost get off it and become a scoring guard as well,” Russell said.
“We talked about making certain changes,” LeVert said when asked. “We haven’t really set anything in stone yet though.”
Even if he doesn’t start, Atkinson would be wise to give him more playing time.
“That’s not really my job to say that. I just go out there and try to make plays whenever I can,” LeVert said.
“Caris has been amazing for us. He honestly has kept us in a majority of these games because of what he’s been able to do offensively. We’re expecting the same thing [Saturday],” Harris said. “He’s also been doing exceptionally defensively. A lot of other guys have got to pick up the slack.”
LeVert had 19 points in the second quarter alone to have Brooklyn down just seven at the break. But Atkinson left him on the bench until the Nets fell behind 84-69 with 5:31 left in the third before bringing him back in.
“Kenny’s done a great job all year with the rotation,” LeVert said. “I just try to make plays when my number is called.”
After cooling off on the bench, LeVert started to percolate at the end of the third, his strip of Ben Simmons and finger roll cutting it to 97-90 with 10 seconds left. It gave Atkinson food for thought, saying he’ll be willing to extend his guard trio’s minutes.
“When it’s not a blowout, they’ll get more minutes. If it’s a closer game, you could see them [play] 36,” Atkinson said. “Listen, if we have to play them 40 minutes, we’d have no problem playing them 40 minutes in a playoff game.”
The Sixers rode their stars, with Simmons (38), Jimmy Butler (37), Tobias Harris (36) and Redick (34) all logging extended minutes in Game 3. No Net topped even 30. That may need to change Saturday.
“Over the last three to four weeks he’s been if not our best player right there behind D’Lo,” Jared Dudley said. “We’re going to need that from him.”
