Brooklyn Nets: Player grades from an Indiana thrashing
By Phil Watson
Allen Crabbe got more run Saturday night — 25 minutes — than he did Friday, when he played 18 minutes in his return from a sprained left ankle.
So he may be ready to return to the starting lineup soon, but where he fits in that lineup is a question.
Caris LeVert looks very comfortable and Joe Harris is shooting well, but Crabbe would likely return to his starting 2 spot with LeVert sliding to the 3 and Harris going back to the second unit.
Crabbe is still getting his touch back, hitting a couple of 3s while also showing more willingness to drive when the openings are there. He did a good job of drawing contact on those drives and getting to the line. The jumper still looked a bit rusty, but that will come.
He’s too good a shooter for it not to.
Jared Dudley gets a higher mark because he excelled in the small detail work. He was the only member of Brooklyn’s regular rotation to not turn the ball over, so bonus points for that.
He also did a good job of finding open cutters, notching four assists, even if his own shot wasn’t dropping (and to be fair, three shots is hardly a large sample size). Dudley also did a solid job defensively against Thaddeus Young, who put up most of his 10 points against other defenders.
You have to figure that as soon as Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is back to full speed, Dudley will return to a reserve role.
Dudley is taking some heat from fans on social media who don’t believe he should be (a) starting or (b) playing as many minutes as he is, but it’s because of the little things that he does that he remains out there.