Nic Claxton back in Nets' good graces right now
Dallas Mavericks center Kristaps Porzingis (6) and guard Frank Ntilikina (21) watch as Nets forward Nic Claxton dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021. Credit: AP/Tony Gutierrez
HOUSTON — In his first game back from a 17-game absence for what was described as a non-COVID illness, Nic Claxton played just 3:15 in a win over the Timberwolves last Thursday, somehow drawing three fouls in that time. Then he did not play at all in the Nets’ loss to the Bulls on Saturday.
But Claxton was a difference-maker in the Nets’ 102-99 comeback victory over the Mavericks Tuesday night in Dallas. He played 21 minutes, scored six points on 3-for-4 shooting from the field, grabbed nine rebounds and played the entire fourth quarter when the Nets held the Mavs to 13 points on 4 of 21 shooting and overcame an 11-point deficit to start the period.
Nets coach Steve Nash used Claxton to slow down Luka Doncic, who totaled 28 points but had only six in the final period. Claxton said the Nets changed their defense in the fourth quarter to switch everything, which resulted in him putting his 6-11 frame against Doncic many times.
"Teams don’t like that, especially when I get out there," Claxton said. "They can’t do nothing with me. I’m up there guarding. It just creates havoc. A lot of teams don’t want to play a one-on-one game, and when you’re switching like that, it causes teams to go against the grain a little bit when they try to run different sets. So I think that’s something we should continue to mix in."
During the third quarter, Claxton had a run-in with Doncic, who shoved him and received a technical foul. Asked what he said, Claxton said. "I didn’t say nothing to him. I just kind of got in his face, and he took offense to it."
The Nets chose to rest starting center LaMarcus Aldridge along with forward Kevin Durant against the Rockets Wednesday night at Toyota Center, and it figured to create more playing time for Claxton, who is rebuilding his conditioning.
"I wouldn’t expect him to play 30-something minutes, especially this early in a back-to-back," Nash said.
Greg Logan has worked for Newsday since 1982 covering a wide array of sports and events, currently including the Brooklyn Nets beat.
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