Jusuf Nurkic issues surprised reaction to Thaddeus Young boldly claiming he won't be in certain lineups during playoffs
Following the Phoenix Suns’ victory over the LA Clippers on Wednesday, Thaddeus Young said that he was hopeful of some playing time in the playoffs. The two teams played each for the second time in as many days. The Suns won 124-108, as the Clippers rested their superstars.
Despite being third on the pecking order among centers, Young believes he has a role to play in the playoffs. The NBA veteran believes that Jusuf Nurkic and Drew Eubanks might not be available all the time:
"There's going to be some opportunities where Nurk and Drew are not going to be able to play in certain games. Got to stay prepared for those opportunities. Me personally, I would like to be in rhythm."
Nurkic seemed to be surprised by his teammate's words and his social media post reflected that emotion.
While opportunities might be at a premium, Young wants to make the most of it. The Clippers game saw the 35-year-old play 13 minutes, which was the most he played since the victory over Denver Nuggets on March 27. In that game, he played 18 minutes and had six points and nine rebounds.
Jusuf Nurkic set to play huge role despite Phoenix Suns' offensive "Big Three"
While the LA Clippers were without their offensive superstars on Wednesday, the Suns had to play their Big Three alongside Jusuf Nurkic, who finished the game with 19 rebounds and 10 assists.
The Suns are in a tough situation. While most teams tend to safeguard their best players at this stage of the season, coach Frank Vogel knows that they need to keep relying on Bradley Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant to improve their playoff seeding.
The three have developed good chemistry and have already given glimpses of how lethal they can be. Jusuf Nurkic has played a huge role in that as well.
As the defensive stalwart who is responsible for protecting the rim, the Bosnian is set to play a huge role in the postseason. He will be just as critical as the Big Three if the Suns are to have any success.