Since before training camp began, Lionel Hollins has said Kevin Garnett is going to play more minutes and have a bigger role this season than he had a year ago.
But when the same questions were posed to Garnett following Monday’s practice at the team’s facility ahead of Tuesday’s preseason opener against reigning Euroleague champions Maccabi Tel Aviv at Barclays Center, the player was hesitant to agree with his coach.
“Talking about [more] minutes and then actually [what happens] is probably going to be two different things,” Garnett said. “Obviously, I’m trying to keep my body to the point where I can hold up. Eighty-two games plus postseason is very, very difficult on your body.
“I’m just taking it one day at a time, so we’ll see.”
At this same point of last season, then-coach Jason Kidd had publicly stated a desire to have Garnett sit out of one of the two games in each of the Nets’ 20 back-to-back games, and also planned to limit Garnett to about 20 minutes per game to have him ready for the playoffs.
Garnett seemed to struggle to adjust to the minutes restrictions — the first time he had averaged less than 28 minutes per game in his career. According to Hollins, those restrictions won’t be in place anymore.
“I do expect him to play more,” Hollins said. “He’s been in great shape, mentally he’s very sharp, and we’d like to see him contribute more than 18-20 minutes per game.”
And as for Kidd’s plan to have Garnett sit in part of back-to-backs?
“No, I don’t think about that,” Hollins said. “We’re going to play. We’re going to play.
“If we play back-to-backs and he starts and I play him 10 minutes, that could happen. I could play him 30 minutes, and that could happen, too. Sitting out games [for rest] … I’ve never done that except for getting ready for the playoffs.”
While Garnett seemed hesitant to commit to playing significantly more minutes or games this season, he did seem satisfied with the setup the Nets have in place — where, essentially, they’ll keep tabs on how he feels and make adjustments accordingly.
“We are not predicated to anything,” Garnett said. “I think what [Hollins is] saying is he wants me out there. … Times where I need the rest I think he will provide it for me.
“But we are not going to preset anything. We are going to go through this thing as if we never went through last year, as if I’m still playing for Doc [Rivers] or Flip [Saunders] or whoever. I prepared myself for it mentally [during the offseason] and I’m ready for it.”
And, as he has every time he’s talked publicly since the start of training camp, Garnett spoke in tones that hinted this, his 20th season, will be his last.
“I’m feeling good about just being here, playing with a bunch of new guys, a new system here, a new system and new coach,” he said. “Energetic and you never know when it could be your last, so you want to tend to appreciate every opportunity as they come.
“Watching [Derek] Jeter go out, you get a little bit more appreciation for the game, the fact that I can still come in here. [Jerry] Stackhouse came in here the other day. He and I came out in the same class so it kind of put things in perspective. Talked to [Rasheed Wallace] the other day, he was home on the couch being fat.
“It puts things in perspective, man. It definitely puts things in perspective.”
Alan Anderson (sore right abdominal) sat out of a fourth straight practice Monday, and was ruled out of Tuesday’s game.