Brooklyn Nets head coach Lionel Hollins wants his starting center back in the lineup in time for the season opener on Wednesday.
Hollins says no guarantees but he expects Lopez ready for the opener in his opinion
— devin kharpertian (@uuords) October 24, 2014
Added he prefers Lopez get in a practice before the opener but not a requirement
— devin kharpertian (@uuords) October 24, 2014
Lopez sprained his foot eight days ago in preseason action, and was expected to miss 10-to-14 days, so a return on Oct. 29 isn't out of the question.
However, Lopez's recurring foot problems has forced the talented pivot into missing significant chunks of time over the last three seasons. Allowing Lopez to play before his foot fully heals would be a dangerous move.
Last season, Lopez averaged 20.7 points and six rebounds per game while shooting 56.3 percent from the field.