Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson says guard Spencer Dinwiddie has to step his game up while swingman Caris LeVert is out.
LeVert is out for the next five to six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair ligaments in his right thumb:
Kenny Atkinson said the #Nets are going to need Spencer Dinwiddie to step up during the 5 weeks Caris LeVert is expected to miss. He added Theo Pinson and even newcomer Iman Shumpert will play minutes tonight vs. #Bulls.
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) November 16, 2019
On the season, LeVert is averaging 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. He’s shooting 42.1 percent from the field, 36.1 percent from beyond the arc and 64.5 percent from the free-throw line. The Nets are going to miss that type of production on a nightly basis.
In 11 games this season, Dinwiddie is putting up 17.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists. The 26-year-old is shooting 41.2 percent overall, 29.5 percent from the 3-point line and 80.0 percent from the charity stripe. The Nets are hoping Dinwiddie's shooting splits will increase as the season moves along.
Brooklyn takes on the Chicago Bulls on Saturday without All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, who is dealing with a sore shoulder. The Nets are 4-7 on the season. Dinwiddie will have to have a big game against the Bulls since Irving and LeVert are out of the lineup.
Scoring hasn't been an issue for Brooklyn so far this season. The Nets are averaging 116.8 points per game, which is good for seventh in the NBA. It's the other side of the ball which is plaguing Brooklyn, as the Nets are giving up 119.5 points a night, 27th in the league.
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