Nets' Spencer Dinwiddie: Returning from Knee Injury for Playoffs Is 'Realistic'
While Spencer Dinwiddie was thought to be out for the season when he suffered a partially torn ACL in his right knee, that may not be the case.
"Oh, that's a tough one," the Brooklyn Nets guard said when asked if he may be able to play in the postseason, per Diamond Leung of The Athletic. "Recovery's going great...The ramp-up to be able to play in a playoff atmosphere is realistic."
Dinwiddie last played in a game on Dec. 27 and averaged 6.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists in the three contests he played this season.
His breakout campaign came in 2019-20 when he posted a career-high 20.6 points and 6.8 assists per game while helping lead the Nets to the playoffs. However, he opted out of the NBA bubble after testing positive for COVID-19 and was unable to play in the postseason series against the Toronto Raptors.
One thing that would work in his favor if he did return for the playoffs this season is the overall strength of the roster. Brooklyn now has Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden as three of the best players in the league to go along with a supporting cast that features Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and Joe Harris.
Dinwiddie would have far less offensive responsibility this season than he did in 2019-20, which would allow him to play limited spurts off the bench and likely deal with less defensive attention from the opposition.
He could play off the trio of stars and hit outside shots from the wing and corner without having to worry about as much contact as a primary option in the offense.
Having him back in any capacity would give the Nets yet another weapon as they look to parlay their loaded roster into an NBA title.
