MILWAUKEE — Dorian Finney-Smith’s left calf contusion is directly related to his earlier sprained ankle, an injury he admitted he made worse by pushing through it.
That’s why the Nets are protecting their forward from himself, sitting him for a third straight game in Thursday’s 111-105 win in Milwaukee.
“Yeah, nothing happened. It was discomfort, and obviously, we’re not going to force it,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “We want him to be 200 percent, and he was disappointed because he was so excited to play. And he really wants to help the guys. And he still does it, like you said, with his voice. I’m pretty sure he’ll do his best. But again, we’ll assess [Friday], and we’ll see where he’s at.”
The Nets host the Spurs Friday at Barclays Center.
“I’ve been trying to get out there, but I’ve been playing through injuries, kind of messing it up, making it worse a little bit. But I’ll be all right,” said Finney-Smith, who’d initially proclaimed himself fit to play following morning shootaround.
“Same ankle, which kind of ran up my calf, changed the way I ran. You know your body adjusts to pain, so I started running a little different. So it started causing me to irritate my calf. I’ll be all right. I’ve just got to be smarter, listen to my body sometime. … Anybody that plays in the NBA, ankle problems last for a long time, and they always seem like you’re going to keep re-twisting the same ankle because it’s weak. But no, I don’t think it’s that serious, though. But it’s a long season.”
The initial ankle injury cost Finney-Smith back-to-back games in mid-November, then after returning, forced him to miss six of seven.
“I just want him to be excited to play, which he’s always excited to play. He’s a vet. He’s a pro,” Fernandez said. “But also I want him 200 percent, otherwise he’ll give it to you. And sometimes you’ve got to save him from himself. It’s good to have him on the court, and obviously, we don’t want him to miss games, so we’ll do whatever it takes to take care of his body.”
Finney-Smith was linked with the Grizzlies in trade rumors.
Marc Stein reported the Nets are interested in Memphis’ John Konchar.
He’s starting a three-year, $18.5 million deal and could be combined with Luke Kennard’s $9.25 million expiring deal to salary match Finney-Smith. Brooklyn would seek picks as well.
Fernandez said Ben Simmons might play Friday at home vs. the Spurs.
“His minutes have increased, and then I’m going to keep that to myself right now. See how he feels, and then he may or may not play based on what the norm has been with his back-to-backs,” Fernandez said. “He’s done a great job. We need his pace. We need his defense. We need his rebounding. And we’ll assess for sure.”
Noah Clowney hit a career-high six 3-pointers.
Fernandez got a jersey from Barcelona star Dani Olmo after the win. It would make for an early birthday gift, with the Nets coach turning 42 on Friday.
