Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 sports
Wednesday 25 september 2019

This is a Sept. 24, 2018, file photo showing then-Golden State
Warriors’ Kevin Durant posing for photos during media day at
the NBA basketball team’s practice facility in Oakland, Calif.
Associated Press
Nets not planning

for Durant to

New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) runs 7-yards for a touchdown during the second play this season
half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, in Tampa,
Fla.
Associated Press By BRIAN MAHONEY you’re looking at one of
Mobility key for young QBs AP Basketball Writer the great competitors out
NEW YORK (AP) — The there, so I think I would be
thrown onto field early in NFL Brooklyn Nets expect to remiss if I said no, he prob-
wait a year before Kevin ably doesn’t want to play,”
Durant plays for them. Marks said. “I think it’s obvi-
By TERESA M. WALKER ing to someone who brings more mobility General manager Sean ous he wants to play, but I
AP Sports Writer to the quarterback position than Eli Man- Marks said Tuesday the think there’s more at stake
It’s an NFL rite each season that young ning. The 38-year-old veteran has only sev- Nets are planning this sea- here.
quarterbacks find themselves playing ear- en career rushing touchdowns and never son without the injured All- “This is, again, a long-term
ly whether because of high draft status, averaged more than 2.2 rushing attempts Star. He added Durant will approach. There are a
injuries or simply a struggling team looking a game in any of his previous 15 seasons. have a say in determining lot of people with a lot of
for a spark. Jones ran for 1,323 yards and 17 touch- when he’s ready. sweat equity in this from the
Injuries already have forced Gardner Min- downs in his career at Duke, and he de- “With Kevin, I think what rehab perspective and so
shew of the Jaguars, Mason Rudolph in buted Sunday by becoming the first rookie we’re going to say is the forth. And so I think it’ll be
Pittsburgh and Kyle Allen of Carolina into quarterback since 1970 with at least 300 expectations are that he’ll a group that makes the de-
the lineup, while the Giants decided the yards passing, two TD passes and two rush- be out for the year,” Marks cision, and obviously Kevin
future is now in turning from Eli Manning to ing TDs in a single game leading the Giants said. Durant is recovering included as to when and
Daniel Jones. to a 32-31 win over Tampa Bay. from surgery to repair a rup- how that return is made.”
They’re all getting their chance to show The rookie ran only once during the pre- tured Achilles tendon. He In the meantime, Marks
what they can do with Dwayne Haskins season, though Giants coach Pat Shurmur was injured while playing thinks Durant will try to
potentially on deck soon in Washington. said that wasn’t to hide Jones’ legs. for Golden State in the NBA be around his new team,
They often find themselves behind porous “There was only one call there that was Finals, then left the Warriors though he can’t predict
offensive lines or facing defenses that going to become a potential run,” Shur- to sign with the Nets in July. how much. He isn’t even
make getting the ball out quickly a chal- mur said. “Most of the running around At the time, the Nets left sure yet whether Durant will
lenge. So the ability to extend plays against were drop back passes where he felt like it open the possibility that accompany the Nets to
NFL pressure is the biggest key — even if was right to scramble.” Durant could play this sea- China next month for their
athleticism comes in a lot of different ways Minshew averaged only 2.1 yards rushing son. That’s still possible, but exhibition games against
for quarterbacks, according to Jaguars of- at Washington State last season. Now fill- Marks isn’t banking on it. the Los Angeles Lakers.
fensive coordinator John DeFilippo. ing in for Foles, Minshew ran for 56 yards on “I’ve been excited to see, I Durant is expected to
“There are a lot of guys like Nick Foles, six carries in a 13-12 loss to Houston in the think we all have, how he’s speak Friday when the Nets
Tom Brady, who aren’t the fastest guys first start of his NFL career, including an 18- approached this rehab, hold their media day.
out there, but have tremendous pocket yard run on fourth-and-10 that gave the which has been great, very He signed with Brooklyn
athleticism in terms of being able to throw Jaguars a chance at a late comeback. refreshing and energizing along with fellow All-Star
off-balanced, being able to move in the He ran four times for 18 yards in Jackson- for the whole group,” Marks Kyrie Irving, who was hurt
pocket and keep their feet in the throw,” ville’s 20-7 victory over Tennessee. said. “But at the end of the Tuesday when he was el-
DeFilippo said. Titans linebacker Jayon Brown said Min- day, this is a long-term plan bowed during a pickup
“Pocket athleticism and playing quarter- shew did everything he needed to win. here. This was never about game. Marks doesn’t be-
back in this league is a very huge attribute Minshew’s rushing helped the Jaguars (1- this next season. This is lieve the injury is serious,
to have.” 2) finish with 88 yards on the ground. about getting an elite ath- although Irving went for an
Some of the younger quarterbacks are “When the rush lanes were there, he took lete back to elite physical evaluation accompanied
also quick on their feet. Baltimore’s Lamar advantage of it, scrambled and made shape on the court, what- by coach Kenny Atkinson.
Jackson ranks in the top 20 of the NFL’s plays,” Brown said. ever that takes.” When Durant and Irving join
leading rushers, while Arizona drafted Kyler Minshew still has some “happy feet” mov- Durant returned from an a team that won 42 games
Murray with the No. 1 overall pick in April ing a bit too much in the pocket, and De- injured calf muscle he suf- and made the playoffs last
for that reason. Patrick Mahomes of Kan- Filippo would like the sixth-round pick to fered in the postseason for season, the Nets could turn
sas City won the 2018 NFL MVP award by slide a bit earlier too. Game 5 of the NBA Finals, into one of the top con-
making plays in and out of the pocket. “We’ve talked about that,” DeFilippo said. but lasted only 12 min- tenders in the Eastern Con-
The New York Giants turned to Jones, the “That just comes with experience and utes before leaving with a ference. They know it could
sixth pick overall in April out of Duke, look- playing time.”q more severe injury. “I think take a season. q