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The moment we’ve all been waiting for: Jahlil Okafor will indeed play, as will Nik Stauskas. The two were traded from Philadelphia and received DNP-CD’s the past two games.
Okafor and Stauskas will both play. #Nets
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) December 15, 2017
There weren’t any specifics on how many minutes each will play, but Kenny Atkinson wants to see activity on the defensive side.
Tonight's the night. #JahlilOkafor & #NikStauskas will debut tofr @BrooklynNets. Kenny Atkinson unsure how long they will play, but they definitely will play. Says defending is the key for both.
— Greg Logan (@GregLogan1) December 15, 2017
This doesn’t come as much of a surprise. DeMarre Carroll is out (rest) and Allen Crabbe is out with left knee soreness. It’s the second game of a back-to-back and the Nets can use some reinforcement.
The story is pretty well-known by now: Okafor was stuck in Philly’s doghouse this season, playing in just two games for a total of 25 minutes. His last appearance came on November 7 where he played a total of three minutes. He’s been antsy to get back on the court, telling reporters at his introduction that he was “tired of sitting.”
The same goes for Stauskas, who’s played in six games this season for a total of 45 minutes. Atkinson and the Nets hope he can provide some shooting off the bench, especially with Crabbe out.
It’s the moment a lot of people have been waiting for. None more than Jahlil Okafor.