As the decimated Nets try to hold on and limp into the playoffs, their first two games will be key. But Jacque Vaughn is still playing coy about whether newly added replacement players Jamal Crawford and Donta Hall will play when the Nets restart Friday versus Orlando.
Both provide something Brooklyn desperately needs — Hall the only center along with Jarrett Allen, and Crawford volume scoring for an offensively challenged roster. They’re the only Nets who didn’t appear in any of the three scrimmages, although it’s debatable how much that matters for a 19-year veteran like Crawford.
“We’ll continue to assess Donta and Jamal and see when they’ll participate in games,” Vaughn said via Zoom. “They haven’t done any scrimmages, but we’re very mindful the Orlando game isn’t the be-all game for us. We want to be healthy throughout this and we’ll continue to be vigilant in keeping our guys in a healthy position.
“Overall with Orlando — team that beat us twice in a year. Very well-coached team. Multiple weapons with [Terrence] Ross and [Evan] Fournier. The ability for [Nikola] Vucevic to control the paint for them. Very defensively sound team. So, will test our ability to shoot the basketball and make plays.”
The seventh-seeded Nets are a half-game ahead of Orlando, and six clear of Sunday’s foe Washington.
“These first two games are huge,” Joe Harris said. “Obviously, we’re excited to get back playing a normal, regular-season-type game.
“The scrimmages were great to work over a lot of new stuff, bring in some guys that are new to the organization, get familiar with one another. We’re all ready to go, we’re ready to compete, and we realize how important these first two games are.”
It remains to be seen if they’ll have Crawford or Hall for either. Although Vaughn concedes that with Crawford in the top 10 among active players in games, minutes and points, he’ll get up to speed quicker.
“I’d say Jamal is definitely ahead just because he’s played over 1,300 games in his career,” Vaughn said. “He’s a guy that understands his body, understands the different flows of the game and how he can impact the game.
“Conversely, with Donta being a younger player, we’ll need a little bit more input on how he can impact the team. Fully confident in Jamal’s ability to impact the game when he does return for us.”
Tyler Johnson has been working at both point guard and shooting guard.
“His play has been pretty good for us,” Vaughn said. “Overall his body feels good, his comfort level on the court at the 1 position [and] at the 2 position — we’ve tried both of those for him — and he has a good feel of how he can help contribute. So looking forward to how he’s going to contribute to the group.”