Dennis Schroder is getting into his twelfth NBA season, so that is nothing new for him.
Schroder has performed in lineups alongside one other level guard earlier in his profession with the Thunder, the Lakers and the Celtics, so he says it wasn’t an enormous adjustment being on the ground on the identical time with three-time All-Star Ben Simmons within the preseason opener with the Nets.
“It was cool,” Schroder mentioned after follow Friday in Brooklyn. “In OKC, I performed with two level guards, Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander] and CP [Chris Paul] and myself. After that I performed with LeBron [James] and AD [Anthony Davis], and wasn’t the purpose guard there. Then I performed with Marcus Good and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown [in Boston].
“I at all times discover my method. On the finish of the day, no matter it takes for the workforce to get it completed, I’ll do it. If it’s me mentioning the ball, Ben’s gotta sacrifice and run into the nook. And if he brings it up, I’ll do the identical. So for me, it’s no egos, I simply wish to win, get on the market and compete on the very best degree and get some dubs.”
Schroder, who’s incomes $13.03 million this season on an expiring deal, averaged 14.6 factors and 6.0 assists in 29 video games (25 begins) with the Nets final season following the February commerce that despatched Spencer Dinwiddie to Toronto.
The 6-foot-10 Simmons is making an attempt to stay wholesome after present process one other shutdown again surgical procedure within the spring.
He additionally performed some minutes at middle in a small-ball alignment in Tuesday’s loss to the Clippers out West attributable to accidents to Nets huge males Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe.
First-year Nets coach Jordi Fernandez expects to take one other have a look at the alignment to start out Monday’s recreation towards the Wizards at Barclays Middle.
“Proper now, it’s gonna occur, sure, within the subsequent recreation,” Fernandez mentioned. “I’m proud of the way in which we performed as a gaggle. We began with two level guards, and we’re gonna do it once more.
“I feel that the mixtures had been high-quality. Clearly, we struggled rebounding, and it’s one thing we addressed. Are we smaller? Possibly, sure, however we gotta do a greater job discovering our bodies and hitting our bodies and ending possessions. Up to now, we’ll keep it up.”
Along with the 2 level guards, the Nets beginning lineup within the opener additionally featured Cam Thomas, Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith.
“A couple of issues we might be higher at is caring for the ball, offensively and defensively, rebounding higher and getting again in transition,” Fernandez mentioned. “So we watched the movie, and I felt fairly good through the recreation.
“Clearly, nonetheless, you wish to win each single recreation and provides your self an opportunity, and we gave ourselves an opportunity. The beginning of the sport was rocky. They made powerful photographs, however our guys stored doing the precise issues. And it was a enjoyable recreation to observe.”
Fernandez added that Claxton is “doing an excellent job going by means of the method to be again” from his hamstring challenge in time for the regular-season opener Oct. 23 in Atlanta.
“We’re nonetheless aiming [for the] first recreation of the season,” Fernandez mentioned. “Will he play the following couple of video games? I don’t know, however he’s doing good.”
Sharpe continues to be anticipated to be sidelined a number of weeks, as is former Knicks wing Bojan Bogdanovic, who’s recovering from wrist and foot accidents.
