Nets’ Dinwiddie to have surgery for partially torn right ACL

NEW YORK (AP) — Spencer Dinwiddie will have surgery to repair a partially torn ACL in his right knee, an early blow to a Brooklyn Nets team that hoped it had left its injury troubles behind.

Dinwiddie was hurt Sunday in Charlotte during the third quarter of the Nets’ first loss of the season. The team said Monday his surgery was scheduled for next week and further updates would be provided afterward.

The veteran guard didn’t rule out returning this season, recalling in an Instagram post that he made it back from a more severe knee injury in college seven months later.

Dinwiddie excelled in a reserve role for the Nets in the past but had been in the starting lineup for the first three games this season under new coach Steve Nash, averaging 6.7 points.

“It’s just a tough break for him and for us obviously,” Nash said before the Nets lost 116-111 to Memphis in overtime Monday night.

“He’s a terrific player that was able to fill multiple roles for us and give us a great athlete on top of that, so he’ll be really missed by us. But more importantly, we all feel for Spence.”

Though his numbers are down this season with more firepower around him, Dinwiddie remains valued for the numerous roles he has played on the Nets since arriving in 2016.

“He means a lot. When Spencer is going he can’t be stopped,” center Jarrett Allen said. “His offensive game, he’s going downhill and creating shots for others. Even off the court, everybody loves having Spencer around, and his energy and personality is great for the locker room.”

Dinwiddie averaged a career-best 20.6 points per game last season, beginning the season as a reserve but moving into the starting lineup when Kyrie Irving was hurt to help Brooklyn reach the playoffs. Irving and Kevin Durant have returned this season and led the Nets to two blowout victories in their first two games.

But they couldn’t complete a comeback Sunday in Charlotte, falling 106-104 after Dinwiddie was hurt in the third quarter.

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