Brooklyn Nets coach Steve Nash has the enviable position of having two capable big men at his disposal in DeAndre Jordan and Jarrett Allen. At face value, the two seem to be jockeying for more playing time but Nash quickly dismissed rumors of a mini-drama brewing.
While Jordan has remained the starting center for the Nets, it's Allen who's logging in more minutes. Per Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Nash addressed the logic behind the strategy while also sharing a bit about Jordan's and Allen's relationship with certain teammates, including Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
“A bit of everything. He definitely has that relationship with Ky and Kevin. He has that experience as the older player. Caris (LeVert) and JA also have good chemistry. So, it’s a bit of everything. It’s just not something I’m belaboring. Jarrett’s going to play a lot. I love him on the floor. I want to be very careful not to make it like a mini-drama because it’s not.
Jordan is averaging 4.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 19 minutes per outing, while Allen is putting up 9.6 points on top of career-highs of 10.7 boards and 1.7 rejections.
Nash reiterated there's no rivalry between the two. For the former two-time NBA MVP, the arrangement the centers are in is what works and he'll continue to stick to it.
“They both play. JA has been outstanding and will play plenty, if not the bulk of the minutes, but for right now, he’s just playing those minutes from the second unit. He closed the game against Atlanta (on Wednesday). I just don’t want it to become some sort of thing where we’re pitting our own guys against each other because I think the group has got a pretty good vibe right now.”
Steve Nash will look to lead the Nets against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday and snap a two-game losing skid.
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