Immediately after the game, Nene sat in front of his locker, soaking his sore left foot in a tub of ice.
“It’s a little sore,” he admitted.
“But I’m glad I could play. I’m glad we knocked Milwaukee out of the playoffs.”
The Bucks have beaten the Wizards three times this season, and although Nene was a Wizard for just one of those games, the April 2 loss, he still was up for a little payback.
Technically, it’s still mathematically possible for the Bucks to slip past the eighth-place Philadelphia 76ers for the final spot, but it’s unlikely.
After showering and dressing, Nene took his place in he middle of the Wizards locker room as reporters surrounded him. Nene implored us to make it quick.
“I have things to do. I have to go to dinner,” Nene joked. Laughter ensued.
“Two things were great,” Nene said about his return.
“It was bad because I took his minutes,” he said, pointing to Kevin Seraphin, who was standing behind him.
“I was able to help the team. It [the foot] still hurts a little bit, I jammed my finger, but the win was sweet. After Milwaukee beat us three times, it was sweet, this victory.”
Asked why he’d play with just five games left, Nene said even he wasn’t sure he’d able able to go.
“I didn’t know if I was going to play, to be honest. I just tested it [before the game], I got warmed up, started feeling the game, and I said ‘they beat us the last time, I’m going to try to do something here’.”
He also had some praise for his teammates.
“These guys, they stepped up when me and [Trevor] Booker was out. They played really good and they showed what we are capable to do. I hope next season we start doing things early, we play hard, we play together.”
“I think it was good payback to beat them [Milwaukee].”
Asked about Jordan Crawford’s big shot at the end of the game, tying his season high of 30-points while playing on a sprained ankle, Nene feigned envy.
“Yeah, 30 points, bad ankle. I want to be him.” And another round of laughter ensued.
