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Kendrick Nunn was told to stay ready for his opportunity during the playoffs and the rookie did just that on Monday night in Game 4 as the Miami Heat swept the Indiana Pacers in the first round.
Prior to the start of the playoffs, Nunn had started in each of the 67 regular-season games that he had appeared in. Once the playoffs started, however, Nunn was removed from the starting lineup in favor of veteran Goran Dragic and the Rookie of the Year finalist was a healthy scratch in the first three games of the series.
Nunn left the Heat briefly at the Walt Disney World Resort during the seeding round due to personal reasons and missed three games as a result. He struggled to shoot, though, when he did play, averaging just 10.8 points and 2.4 rebounds on 31.3% shooting from the field, including 20.7% from 3-point range, which could be why he was benched.
On Monday, Jimmy Butler was nursing a left shoulder injury that limited him throughout the game, prompting Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra to call upon Nunn. He entered the game and immediately assisted on two of the next three possessions while he drained a 3-pointer as he finished with seven points, three rebounds and two assists in 14 minutes of work.
My first time not playing, coming off of the bench. I learned a lot, for sure. You just gotta stay mentally focused, locked into the game and stay ready; that’s what it’s all about. I’m built different so when my time comes, I’m definitely going to be ready. … My first look was a swing off of Tyler [Herro] and when he swinged to me, I knocked it down and I told him, ‘Thanks for welcoming me to the party.’
Nunn said several of the veteran players on the roster helped him stay focused throughout the series when he wasn’t playing. From being a key rotation player to being relegated to the bench, Nunn appeared to handle the situation professionally and he was ready when his number was called.
His teammates were happy to see him play on Monday as the team knows Nunn will eventually be needed in the playoffs if they want to continue their run through the Eastern Conference. They now await the winner of the series between the Orlando Magic and Milwaukee Bucks.
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