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The Brooklyn Nets fell to the Indiana Pacers on Friday night, but 20-year-old Latvian rookie Rodions Kurucs had the best game of his young career.
Rodions Kurucs has recently entered the starting lineup and on Friday, he was on the floor at the end of the game. Head coach Kenny Atkinson said he couldn't take Kurucs out of the game because of the way he was playing.
Article Continues Below“It's hard to take him out of the game,” Atkinson told Associated Press, via ESPN. “It wasn't the plan to play him 34 minutes, and he's earning his minutes. He's earning his play, and it's a pleasant, pleasant surprise for a 20-year-old kid.”
Kurucs finished the night with 24 points and three rebounds. The Latvian was aggressive all night long, evidenced by his 10 free throw attempts on the night. Kurucs was also fantastic from beyond the arc, banking four of his five attempts from 3-point range.
The rookie is stepping up at a time when the Nets need him most. Injuries to Caris LeVert and Allen Crabbe were major blows for the Nets, but Kurucs has been huge for the team in their absence and has been averaging 12.2 points and 4.0 rebound in his last five starts.
As Kurucs continues to improve, he's earning a consistent role on the floor for Kenny Atkinson. If there is a silver lining to the injuries Brooklyn is dealing with, it is Kurucs' emergence as a legitimate rotation player.
