I think or hope he should be ready for a comeback right after the all-star break. He went on the IL on Febuary 1st. But going down the wire in March & April we are definately going to need his ablity to be a legitimate 3rd scorer he was becoming after RJ went down. And his shooting range does the best job of stretching the defense for Kidd & Vince creating driving lanes. I think that is the one big edge RB has over Ron Mercer, Mercer can only stretch the defense out to about 15-18 feet because he isnt a three point shooter. So RB defenately does the best job of creating floor space. Right now, we have found away to get a third scoring option from different guys each night depending on who has got the hot hand, some nights it might be Mercer, Best, even Billy Thomas. But like I said as the divisional race gets tighter, we will defantely need someone who is going to provide that offensive third spark a little more consistently, just so we know where our points are coming from...And I think that player is going to have to be RB. So like you I will be sitting on pins & needles waiting for his return as well.
I think that he might not be coming back until at least march 1st. I remember that his injury was reported to take 4-6 weeks, so by March 14th he should be back.
I don't know but that's a big loss. He was such an improved player. Reminds me of Nazr on the Knicks. He provides valuable scoring and takes tons of pressure of Carter's hands. Once people get on Carter, he can give Buford some easy looks. Is this a kind of make or break a season kind of injury?
Well, the Nets are still doing just as well without Buford, it is just that other guys have been stepping it up in his place. Once he comes back, and if he is to play as well as he did, then maybe the Nets will become a stonger, deeper team, not to mention better rested.
