Devin Harris won’t be playing tomorrow and he didn’t fully practice today (participated in non-contact stuff including running and sliding side to side), but he was still in high spirits talking to the media (including yours truly) today. He expects to be ready to participate fully in practice on Sunday and should be ready to start the season next Wednesday against the Timberwolves. Now, Devin Harris and his injuries have started to worry fans, leading to some calling for him to change his style of play. That’s not happening, “I love the contact, I don’t think I’ll ever change…well maybe when I am 30, then I’ll start taking mid-range jumpers,” Devin told us.
The conversation then turned to the preseason play, including the good chunk he hasn’t been a part of. When asked about the losses Devin said, “I mean, I think a lot of what I bring to the table will cure some of the ills going on out there. But obviously it is good for those guys to go through it if I happen to sprain an ankle or something like that.” Don’t take that as Devin bashing his teammates, because that isn’t his intention, in fact he really likes what he sees from most of the guys, in particular CDR, Courtney, and Terrence Williams. “You see what kind of fight that we can have. With the way CDR can attack the basket, Courtney’s understanding of the game and knowing how to get shots, and Terrence’s bulldogish ways. You see a lot of fight in those guys.”
We then turned our attention to when he gets back, playing with both CDR and Courtney in the lineup. A lot of fans have been worrying whether or not there is enough basketballs to go around when these three are on the court. Many have been expecting both CDR and Courtney to get less touches when he returns, but Devin is quick to point out that if they stay aggressive, it makes things easier for him. “What I have been preaching to Chris is that when he is that aggressive, him and Courtney, it takes more pressure off of me so I can just facilitate and then when I have to pick my spots to be aggressive, we have three guys that they have to worry about stopping, instead of them just loading up on me.”
I guess the overall theme I took away from this interview with Devin is that he “gets it”. I have never been worried that he didn’t, but it is just comforting to hear, you know? He understand that his style works and that if he changes it makes him less of a player, but he also understands that if CDR and Courtney can become threats offensively he doesn’t have to go 100 MPH every possession, and being able to “pick my spots” as he calls it will leave him less susceptible to injury. Also, hearing him talk, any worries of him being able to turn into a “true PG” have been put to rest. He understands that while he is the one true scorer the Nets got, he the other guys around him to be aggressive. If that happens both the Nets and Devin Harris will be much more successful.
