Yi eases back into the lineup in another blowout against Dallas

February 19, 12:06 AMAsian-American Sports ExaminerMichael Street

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Ryan Anderson and Yi are battling for playing
time (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Yi Jianlian still wasn't in the starting lineup, but he looked good and got plenty of playing time tonight against Dallas. He was put in when the game seemed out of reach, then left in when New Jersey closed the gap, though the game ended in a loss, 113-98.

After returning against the Rockets, Yi still hadn't worked back into the starting lineup tonight, though he and Ryan Anderson ended up splitting time in the end. Anderson is the younger player and, while he can often look more athletic, Yi has the better rounded-game.

Yi might have played even more tonight, but had to leave the floor in the second quarter after tweaking his ankle. He wouldn't return until the third quarter, but he'd remain throughout the fourth quarter, even as the game seemed to slip away from the Nets.

But Yi helped New Jersey climb back into the game, thanks to some nice shooting and nice defense that should allay any concern that he's not recovered from his broken pinkie.

With the Nets trailing by 22 points, the game seemed over entering the final quarter, but the Nets started hitting jump shots, and Yi scored all nine of his points for the game. In spite of outscoring Dallas 24-14, they'd dug themselves too deep of a hole, as the Mavs put their starting lineup back in to seal the deal.

Yi was matched up against Dirk Nowitzki, holding him to 4 points, and pulled down 4 rebounds. While that's not shutdown defense, that's still pretty good against one of the league's best seven-foot shooters.

Yi is a pretty good seven-foot shooter in his own right and looks to be gaining his touch back since returning from the broken finger that kept him out for a month and a half. One question now is how soon he might crack the starting lineup.

With New Jersey entering a tough stretch of games, they're going to need their best five on the floor if they want to stay in the playoff hunt. Ryan Anderson offers plenty of athleticism, but Yi has a much stronger offensive game, with the ability to score from the outside or inside.

If rumors are true and Vince Carter is traded, the Nets will need that kind of threat more than ever, and as bad as such a move might be for the team, it could be just the thing to help Yi reach his potential. He's not going to carry a team just yet, but he could shoulder more of the offense, and if Carter departs, they'll need all the offense they can get.

And if Carter stays for a push to the postseason, they'll still need another shooter who can also defend inside—and that guy's Yi.

No matter how you slice it, New Jersey needs Yi Jianlian on the floor as much as possible, so look for him in the starting lineup, and much sooner rather than later.