Trendon Watford's best positive result for the Nets on Sunday was a critique of how bad they were playing as well as how successful his debut of the season was.
The Nets forward has been sidelined since camp with a hamstring injury, and finally made his debut in a 114-104 loss to the Knicks at the Garden.
Watford had four points, three assists and three rebounds in 13 minutes.
His +4 was tied with Cam Johnson for the team's best, and he looked to continue to shake off the rust in Tuesday's NBA Cup game against Charlotte.
“I couldn't wait to get out of there, man. The energy was great. The atmosphere was great,” Watford said. “So it feels good. “I'm just happy to be back out there.”
Watford averaged 6.9 points and 3.1 rebounds last season, but has upped that to 12.9 points and 5.7 boards over the last 11 games.
“Yes, how I finished last season, I was really trying to be consistent with that, be a bit of a playmaker, do everything,” Watford said. “I'm going to get better over time and just try to maintain that role that I had last year, which was to be that guy that does a little bit of everything, guarding every position. So I'm trying to be that for the team.”
“I'm just kind of all over it. [On Sunday,] I've been playing this point so much, I came for it [Dennis Schroder]. You never know what the next game might bring. So I try not to put myself in a box and just try to be everything I can, the Swiss army knife of this team and just play wherever I can and whoever Jordi is. [Fernandez] He wants me to play.”
Having a secondary playmaker with size (6-foot-9, 242 pounds) could be helpful, especially if both Nick Claxton and DaeRon Sharp are injured.
It's a role usually occupied by Ben Simmons – who has been pressed into the bullpen.
“Yeah, we're kind of similar in terms of just our playmaking,” Watford said. “But we're different too. So, I just want to be myself, and try to keep things going. Jordi just told me to pick my spots and be aggressive, and not think too much. So that's what I'm trying to do, and I'm just trying to carry this forward and feel comfortable.” greater.
Cam Johnson has five 20-point games in 14 games after just six games all last season.
After Noah Clowney was just 7-for-26 (.269) from deep through his first eight games, he's been 10-for-22 (.455) since.
Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle sprain) and Zaire Williams (right hip tightness) are listed as probable for Tuesday.
Williams started the season 8-for-12 from deep, but has gone just 6-for-36 since. His 3-point percentage is now down to 29.2, below his career high of 30.0.
Bojan Bogdanovic (recovered from left foot injury), Nick Claxton (lower back strain) and Day-Ron Sharpe (left hamstring strain) are all out injured, while Jackie Coy, Jaylen Martin and Darick Whitehead will be with the Long Island Premier League.
Charlotte's Trey Mann is questionable with lower back pain, while Daquan Jeffries, Jared Rhoden, Nick Richards, KJ Simpson, Nick Smith Jr. and Mark Williams are out.
