Spencer Dinwiddie’s bid to return in playoffs hit with harsh reality

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Spencer Dinwiddie’s road back from the partially torn ACL he suffered in December took another hit Tuesday afternoon, with Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash telling reporters it was unlikely the point guard would have enough time before the end of the regular season to return to game-shape for the playoffs, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

Steve Nash definitely doesn’t sugar-coat the truth for the Nets:

Asked if seemed likely Spencer Dinwiddie would have enough time to return and ramp up in time for the start of the playoffs, Nash said “I don’t think so…It’s unlikely, but stranger things have happened.” #Nets #NBA
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) May 4, 2021

Despite Nash’s comments, however, that Dinwiddie is unlikely to see significant action in the Nets’ final seven games, it is not clear if the organization has ruled out a return for the guard in the playoffs.
Though the Nets are currently vying for the top seed in the Eastern Conference with the Philadelphia 76ers, the play-in tournament has changed things a bit.
It has kept open the possibility that the Nets could still draw a formidable opponent in the first round–such as the Boston Celtics or Miami Heat–thus closing their margin for error. Should this occur, it would significantly limit Dinwiddie’s opportunities to work himself into game shape during low leverage minutes.
Further complicating matters is the fact that Nash and the Brooklyn coaching staff will also be attempting to integrate James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving into the rotation at the same time for the Nets, something that has only occurred sporadically this season due to a variety of ailments to the three stars.
Even with Dinwiddie’s willingness to play off-ball, the task of reworking the playbook on the fly in the middle of the playoffs may prove to be a greater stumbling block than a potential boon for the Nets, regardless of the point guard’s talents.
While having too much talent is a problem the other 29 squads in the league would be more than happy to have, in the case of the Brooklyn Nets, it might also mean that Spencer Dinwiddie’s season is already over.