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What Alabama wants to see from Grant Nelson, who needs to get 'healthier'

1918632_10206777287683070_1367905321192383146_nby:Charlie Potter•about 10 hours•

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Alabama forward Grant Nelson
Alabama forward Grant Nelson (Will McLelland / Imagn Images)

Alabama forward Grant Nelson needs to get healthier, head coach Nate Oats said.

Before the Crimson Tide’s dismantling of Mississippi State on Tuesday night in Tuscaloosa, the fifth-year senior was included on the initial availability report. Oats revealed after the 111-73 win that Nelson missed practice time due to a shin bruise. But he went on to play 24 minutes and earn the postgame Hard Hat award for posting the most blue-collar points.

As Alabama gears up for a brutal 3-game stretch to end the regular season, which begins with a road trip to No. 5 Tennessee on Saturday, the team needs more from its veteran.

“I think we’re starting to see him get healthier, get more explosive,” Oats said on Friday. “He’s gotta get downhill to the rim. The dunk he has against Mississippi State where some teams kind of over-help off of him and he can kind of get going on a go-catch, we call it, downhill to the rim.

“We do need Grant to be a little more aggressive and a little bit more efficient in his minutes.”

Nelson scored an Alabama career-high 25 points in the Tide’s win at Kentucky on January 18. In that contest and the five that followed, the Devil’s Lake, North Dakota native averaged 15.5 points per game. But in his last five outings, Nelson’s production has declined, likely coinciding with his health. He has averaged 7.6 points per game since February 11.

One positive, however, is his turnovers have been down. Nelson only turned the ball over seven total times in his last six games. He had 19 turnovers in the six previous games.

“Some games he’s been a little inconsistent with taking care of the ball,” Oats said. “We need him to take care of the ball a little bit better.”

Nelson isn’t a high-volume shooter, but his attempts have been down of late. In his last five games, he only has one with more than six shots (Auburn, 5-11). Getting closer to full health could help some of Nelson’s struggles and be a late-season boost for Alabama.

But Oats also said Nelson’s teammates could help him out on some designed plays.

“I think more of it’s Grant being healthy to where he can get in the gym and put reps up and get his shot a little more comfortable,” Oats said. “But we are finding some cutting opportunities our guards gotta find him on. 

“I think that’s an area because he can finish at the rim real well. You’ve got Sears and Labaron to create. You’ve got Youngblood to stretch the floor. If Grant can find some more cuts, I think he can get himself to be a little bit more efficient.”

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