Photo by bleacherreport.com.
The Brooklyn Nets who were considered a stacked squad that could challenge the Miami Heat have been a disaster. They have lost 10 of their last 13 games. Rookie coach Jason Kidd was caught and fined for trying a trick to, in essence, create a timeout when his team was out of them. And now, perennial all-star forward Paul Pierce will be sidelined for two-to-four weeks with a broken hand.
The team released a statement saying Pierce suffered the injury in a loss at Houston Friday. It happened in the first half and no one knew because Kidd benched Pierce and all the starters for the entire second half of a 19-point defeat.
Saturday in a win over Memphis, Pierce, 36, did not play. Pierce joins point guard Deron Williams (ankle), guard Jason Terry (knee) and forward Andrei Kirilenko (back) who are out with injuries.
“Injuries are a part of the game,” Kidd said. “You just hope that there are speedy recoveries. And for the guys in that locker room that can play, I believe in each one of those guys and that we can find a way to win until we do get whole.”
The Nets (5-12) have lost a total of 37 games due to injury to six players. Kidd has had to use seven different starting lineups. Joe Johnson has been the only player to start every game this season.
Pierce was shooting only 36.8 percent and 26.8 percent from behind the 3-point arc while averaging 12.4 points and 4.9 rebounds. He is on pace for career lows in shooting percentages and scoring average in his 16-year career.
