It was still early in the Memphis game, but the Nets were watching their 14-point lead slip away. Down to 12, 10. Then Rudy Gay stuck a 3-pointer and quicker than you could say, “Here we go again,” the lead was seven.
But then in even faster fashion, Sasha Vujacic accepted a pass, dribbled and fired an answering 3-point salvo. The lead was back to 10.
“I learned quite a bit in seven years, and you don’t want to give them momentum,” Vujacic explained. “And sometimes with one 3-point shot or a crazy play, they’re going to catch it.”
So the Memphis momentum stalled. After more ups, downs, ups the Nets won. Maybe that single Vujacic trifecta wasn’t the reason but it exemplified something coach Avery Johnson has stressed since his arrival from the Lakers.
“He knows how to play,” said Johnson, enthralled with the energy Vujacic brings off the bench. “He just knows how to play.”
In four games with the Nets, Vujacic has averaged 11 points and shot .472. And that shooting helps — only interior guys Derrick Favors (.556) and Kris Humphries (.545) have better marks. And there is that infectious buzz Vujacic employs on the court. Johnson stressed that he doesn’t want to make too much of it because he doesn’t want to slight the guys already in place.
But, truly, he loves it.
“I don’t want to take anything away from our guys who’ve been here,” Johnson said. “I’m more of a body language guy and a spirit guy. And he has such a great spirit. He has great life. He reminds me of a soccer player. Great energy. Even when he makes a mistake, you can live with it. Very unselfish, just what we needed.”
Vujacic welcomes the chance to play. He won rings with the Lakers, but his time was virtually nil. But with the Nets he gets time. And he uses it.
“He really gives an identity to our bench,” Devin Harris said.
“I really want to do good with the team,” said Vujacic, who has five steals in his four Nets games. “I was never one (who) just cared about their individual stats. I have to do what this team needs me to do, and that’s scoring. Sometimes, it’s going to be assists, playing good defense. Whatever. I’m having fun. They wanted me, and I’m really happy to be here.”
The Nets are 2-2 since Vujacic’s arrival. They should be 3-1, and he’ll be the first to tell you: “I hate to say, the one in Toronto, we should have won. We were up for 45 minutes and it was tough to lose.”) Now he is not the only reason, of course, but the Nets are showing signs. In the briefest of times, he has helped solidify Johnson’s rotation while flashing that contagious gusto.
“I like where we are [after] the trade for Sasha,” Johnson said. “I like our energy. Right now going into our mini break, I’m hoping that we’ll come back fresh, with even more of a renewed energy and a sense of purpose.”