The lower back injury problems continue for Andrei Kirilenko. He sat out Sunday’s practice and is expected to be out for over a week, according to reports by Tim Bontemps of the New York Post.
Kirilenko totaled only 45 games last season due to the same back injury. He also missed all of preseason last year.
“Well, [it’s] not a big concern, but I guess it’s unavoidable,” Kirilenko told reporters after practice. “Like once, twice a year it kind of [flares] up a little bit. It’s a little bit tight, but no major soreness like I had last year, so I don’t know. It could be seven days to I don’t know how much,” Kirilenko added.
With Paul Pierce gone, Kirilenko is expected to see an increased role this season, but these nagging back injuries could be a problem. However, Kirilenko is optimistic that he will be able to get through this.
“I’m trying to be positive. If I can get it out right now there’s a whole season in front of us. It’s kind of…I don’t want to say it’s the right time, but it’s better now than in the middle of the season when you start missing games, especially [because] NBA seasons games go night by night and you start missing games. [It’s] probably better to miss these days now,” Kirilenko said.
Alan Anderson and Bojan Bogdanovic are now expected to see heavy loads of minutes, until Kirlenko is able to return. For now, new head coach Lionel Hollins is counting on the other guys to step up in Kirilenko’s absence during training camp.
“We have 16 other guys,” Coach Hollins said.
The Brooklyn Nets begin their preseason on October 7 versus Maccabi Tel Aviv at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. There is a slight chance that Andrei Kirilenko plays in that game.