by Ben Osborne / @bosborne17
The library-quiet rookie season that New Jersey Net rookie Derrick Favors is having continued tonight, as he got a somewhat-buzzed-about nod to make his first career start but then saw his impact limited by foul trouble and just 9 minutes of playing time.
Favors getting the start was the first thing Avery Johnson discussed in his pre-game press conference, and the start was noted in pre-game introductions by Nets’ PR/PA man Gary Sussman (and cheered loudly by the crowd at The Rock). Favors, an athletic 6-10 PF who the Nets selected third in the Draft (over DeMarcus Cousins, which yours truly disagreed with), promptly scored the second basket of the game on a, but then picked up two quick fouls and headed for the bench.
While Favors final stats for the game of 7 points, 5 rebounds and 4 fouls were pretty much in line with the relatively pedestrian numbers he’s put up all year, no one is ready to call a kid who is just 19 (and the youngest player in the League) a bust.
Afterwards, the soft-spoken Favors said that while he was “nervous at first,” he “got more comfortable and will be more comfortable next time.”
“(Starting for the first time) was an honor,” Favors added. “Coach put his trust in me, and I think I did a good job.”
Favors two most demonstrative buckets were finishes off of fast breaks where he beat the Bulls down the floor. “Coach told me run, I’m going to run,” he said with a smile.
And yes, the struggling Nets beat the first-place Bulls, 96-94. So in one regard, the night was a huge success for young Derrick.
