The Brooklyn Nets are a bit banged up at the moment, missing both Nic Claxton and Joe Harris as possible cogs in the starting lineup.
This is on top of star point guard Kyrie Irving sitting out the season over the vaccine mandate, so the Nets have needed some unlikely faces to step up.
This is where DeAndre’ Bembry comes in and he’s been a huge positive for the team that’s trying to fight through its injuries while also finding its identity on the fly.
With James Harden still struggling in his new role as point guard of the offense, it’s been clear that superstar Kevin Durant needs some more help. The Nets do find themselves at 14-6, but it feels like so much of that has come down to the insane play of Durant more than anything.
Bembry is a Bright Spot
GettyDeAndre Bembry, Nets (right)
Bembry has started his past four games for the Nets, and he’s posted a positive plus/minus stat in three of them, including the loss to the Phoenix Suns.
It’s not clear if he’ll be able to keep this hot start up, but with so little being asked of him as Harden and Durant command most of the attention on offense, he might be able to keep on going about his day as an underrated starter.
His best game of the season so far came against the Suns where he put up 18 points and nine rebounds on 9/11 shooting in 34 minutes. Obviously, that kind of production can’t be expected from him forever, but he’s proven he can chip in from time to time.
The Nets will obviously welcome both Harris and Claxton back with open arms when they return, and even Irving if he gets vaccinated, but Bembry’s role won’t be reduced completely.
Bembry Talks With Kyrie
GettyKyrie Irving moves the ball up the court.
While Irving remains away from the team, many of his Nets teammates still reach out to him, and Bembry is no different.
“At this point, I send certain messages because I know his phone’s getting blown up at this time,” Bembry told the New York Post. “So I try to give him his space, because I know he’s just one of those people that needs his space sometimes to collect his thoughts and his energy and stuff. So for the most part, I definitely sent him a couple messages over this time to just check up on him, make sure he’s good.”
There’s still no telling if Irving will return to the team in the near future, but they are still holding out hope.
Head coach Steve Nash says he still talks with Irving, but when they do chat, it’s not necessarily about the Nets or coming back to play.
“I stay in touch with Kyrie, but we don’t really talk about basketball,” said Nash, “Just stay in touch and make sure everything is good with him.”
The Nets have shown they can still be one of the best teams in the NBA without him, but they’ve had trouble toppling teams that are over .500 so far.
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