ATLANTA — Understand that “back” is the worst four-letter word for Nets fans.
They read about back woes, minutes limits and injury management, but Ben Simmons is what they see. And what they fear.
But with Mikel Brown Jr., they don’t have to be afraid.
Despite the kid gloves the Nets have treated their rookie with, Brown’s ankle is fine. And more importantly, so is his back.
While Brown was limited to 21 games for Louisville last season, sources told The Post that his back was structurally fine. That injury had just been a soft tissue one and is long since in the past. His current minutes limit is about the future and building strength for that — for who the Nets see as an eventual All-Star.
“It’s all about getting stronger,” Brown told The Post before scoring 18 points in the Nets’ 124-121 loss to the Hawks on Saturday night. “This is my first year playing against this type of high level of athletes. You’ve got to be at an elite performance level body-wise. But that’s just the everyday process when it comes to that stuff.
“I’m constantly in the weight room every day just strengthening the parts of my body I need to strengthen. But yeah, that’s us going along with the plan. I’m all aboard with it. As long as we’re winning games, that’s all I care about.”
With Brown being the reward for a long tanking season, fans are not only invested in his progress but still scarred from the Simmons experience — trading James Harden for what turned out to be just 90 ineffective games in three seasons.
This isn’t that.
“Nah, man, that was never the case,” said Brown, who will not play Sunday in Dallas because he’s not cleared for back-to-backs. “I’ve just been leaning on my performance staff. My body feels great. Just take it slow. It’s an 82-game season. We want to be in a position to make the playoffs, so every game matters, but they’re just like, ‘the long run, the long run.’ So taking it a game at a time, a day at a time, and attacking it. Everything’s fine. I don’t look at (social) media like that, but yes, everything’s fine. My body’s great, just continuing to build.”
Brown has yet to play both legs of a back to back, with the Nets to play Sunday in Dallas.
He entered Saturday averaging 12 points and four assists. And the game is visibly slowing down for the rookie, mustering 14.5 points in his last four tilts.
“I’m very happy with Mikel. Him in pick-and-roll, how fast he is, how shifty, he can shoot the 3, get to the rim. Very happy with his performance,” coach Jordi Fernández said.
“It’s always about playing hard, but it’s also about playing smarter as well. So, just really having the game slow down,” Brown told The Post. “I watched a lot of film with my coaches, a whole lot of film for myself, just slowing down and letting the game come to me and just letting the game flow.
“And just staying aggressive, living with the consequences if I turn the ball over, miss an assignment on defense, just knowing I have to get it back the next play. Just always having that next-play mentality. That’s the mindset that’s been in my head these past couple games.”
Brown has particularly excelled in the pick-and-roll, capped by an 18 point, four-assist outing in their win over Charlotte. He shot 6 of 11, 3 of 5 from deep and had a highlight no-look pass to Moritz Wagner off a baseline drive.
“Yeah, really the willingness to just be myself and create plays within that pick-and-roll situation, whether that’s hitting the pocket, reading the tag man. Just allowing the game to come to me. It’s nothing I haven’t worked on for freaking years before this. So I adapt and put it on show,” Brown said.
“Great player. Big-time offensive spark,” said Terance Mann. “He’s gonna be good when he gets older, stronger, understands the game, understands the pick-and-roll situations. I could see him being an All-Star easily. He has a great basketball mind. So, it’s fun to play with him.”
The Nets are strengthening Brown’s body, especially his core, searching for that All-Star outcome.
