With Myles Turner entering the league’s concussion protocol and Domantas Sabonis starting in his absence, the window of opportunity was theoretically cracked ever-so-slightly open for rookie Ike Anigbogu to see spot minutes at backup center against the Portland Trailblazers.
In practice, however, it might as well have been nailed shut.
Instead, despite the fact that Lance Stephenson and Al Jefferson logged zero minutes together last season after having posted the worst two-man net rating (minus-7.9) for the Charlotte Hornets (minimum 900 minutes played) two seasons prior, Nate McMillan (surprise, surprise) opted to lean on the anachronistic center’s more polished offensive repertoire and veteran experience.