At the end of his postgame press conference Saturday night in Dallas, Nets coach Lionel Hollins was asked if he still remembered where he lived, since his team has gone nearly a month between home games.
“I don’t have to remember,” Hollins said with a smile. “Someone will take me there.”
For Thaddeus Young, however, Monday’s game against the Warriors at Barclays Center will mark the first time in his new home since being acquired shortly before the Feb. 19 trade deadline from the Timberwolves in exchange for Kevin Garnett. Young came straight to Los Angeles to join the Nets for the first game of their five-game trip following the All-Star break and immediately entered the team’s rotation.
After spending the past 10 days on the road with his new teammates, he’s excited about his first chance to play in front of his new fans.
“Very,” Young said. “I’m on the home team now. I don’t have anybody going against me. It’s all going to be cheers, and I’m ready to go rock out and just hoop.”
While he has had to wait a bit to make his debut in Brooklyn, Young said being away from home for his first several days with the team has been a blessing in disguise. It has allowed him to get to know his teammates in a way he wouldn’t have if he were home with his wife and kids.
“I got a chance to hang out with the guys, and just talk to a lot of the guys and kind of get a feel for everything that’s going on,” Young said. “It got me a chance to kind of get in the flow and everything.
“With us being on the road, we had practice, we were able to watch film, we had a chance to have lunch meetings and stuff like that. So it really helped me out a great deal.”
He credited his wife with making the transition as simple as possible by taking care of things while he has been on the road.
“It was pretty funny, because before I could call her and tell her I got traded, she was already packing,” Young said. “She’s already looking for schools for our kids and everything, so she’s been huge throughout the process.”
The power forward has had an immediate impact since joining the Nets, averaging 13.4 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 58 percent from the field and supplying energy and athleticism off the bench.
“I think we’re getting better now with Thad out there,” Deron Williams said. “He’s getting acquainted and accustomed to playing with us, and we just have to continue to work on our playoff push.”