Phoenix powerbrokers’ hearts were in their throats when floor general Gary Browne limped off the training court on Tuesday morning.
The prized import is yet to debut for South East Melbourne, owing to a pre-season knee injury.
The Puerto Rican grimaced as he hobbled from the Knox court, but a quick thumbs up from Phoenix training staff to boss Tommy Greer was met with relief.
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The 29-year-old confirmed to News Corp he’d be good to go Thursday night against New Zealand.
“That’s been sore, but I’m going to play on Thursday, I’ll be fine,” Browne said of his beat-up knee.
The smooth-talking point guard joins his team in a tough spot at 1-3 but gives coach Simon Mitchell his full roster contingent for the first time since March.
Now, Mitchell says, he’s just got to get them fit.
“I’m very excited about having these guys on the floor but I’m also conscious that these bodies are not in playing condition,” Mitchell said.
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Trey Kell, Zhou Qi and Ryan Broekhoff made their season debuts on the weekend and Mitch Creek is on light duties as he manages a foot injury.
New South East Melbourne import Gary Browne undergoes his physical examination with Phoenix physiotherapist Av Kumar.
Browne is level-headed about being forced to watch his struggling team from the sidelines: “injuries happen through the whole season.”
“I can’t be upset, I can’t control that,” Browne said.
“They brought me here to win, to make the club better.
“If you get frustrated you’re not going to get better.
“I just see it as a challenge we put ourselves in. We’ve just got to get out of it.
“We’re going to turn it around and look forward for the rest of the season.”
He’s been taken by the atmosphere inside John Cain Arena.
“It’s like going to a concert — we’re going to our concert,” he said.
“I love the fans, the way the green and black (Phoenix colours) look, the lights, the arean, it’s awesome.
“Sometimes you get so focussed, ‘you gotta do this, you gotta do that’, but you’ve also got to enjoy it.
“People come watch you play, watch you work. We are in a privileged position.”
Browne could be inserted straight into the starting line-up against New Zealand, but Mitchell says he was recruited for a specific reason: “to close out games”
“We’ve got to weigh up how much of that nervous energy gets burnt at the start of a game
and will it take away from his legs in the last quarter?” Mitchell said.
“I’ve got to have him in somewhat of a state of freshness down the stretch of games.”
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