Joe Johnson felt he could’ve played more in the fourth quarter.
Johnson, who returned to the lineup following a three-game absence due to a sore left heel, played just 3:37 in the final period of the Brooklyn Nets’ 98-90 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night at Barclays Center. During that span, Johnson, who finished with 11 points on 5-for-12 shooting in 29 minutes, went 0-for-1 from the field and had two turnovers.
“Yeah I felt like I could’ve played, but I don’t question P.J. (Carlesimo’s) decision,” Johnson said. “We have a back-to-back so I understand where he was coming from.”
When Johnson was pulled from the game with 8:23 left, the Nets were down 86-66. They got within four, but couldn’t creep any closer.
“I thought maybe I’d put him in once more and then that group (on the court) got going good,” Carlesimo said. “And then I thought he’s been sitting for a long time and the worst thing in the world would be to put him back in ... and we’re playing tomorrow (in Chicago). I just thought for a first game back it was fine, but there was not a specific amount of minutes.”
Johnson figures he’ll be fine for Saturday night’s game against the Bulls in the second half of a back-to-back.
“I don’t think I’ll have an issue,” Johnson said. “I’m just doing what’s necessary to get ready and we’ll see how it feels in the morning.”
He doesn’t expect the injury to linger on throughout the season.
“It didn’t give me any problems throughout the whole game, for the most part I felt good,” Johnson said. “I can’t see it giving me more problems. It may linger for a little while, but I think it’ll go away.”
• Prior to the game, Carlesimo admitted that he’s contemplated starting Mirza Teletovic at power forward, but hasn’t pulled the trigger, and didn’t know if he would later in the season.
Many Nets fans on Twitter have been clamoring for the Nets to start Teletovic over Reggie Evans.
On Friday night, Teletovic had five points in 15 minutes. Evans record his 25th double-digit rebound game of the season.