Photo: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports

Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash is eager to have power forward Nic Claxton back, who was out of action for the entire November, due to an undisclosed illness.

The 22-year-old former second round draft pick played his second game since returning to action against the Dallas Mavericks. He played 21 minutes during which he scored 6 points and grabbed 9 rebounds as the Nets earned a narrow 3-point win.

According to Nash, Claxton was visibly out of rhythm but he hopes to have him back to his usual self by the end of the year.

Via Mark W. Sanchez of New York Post:

“It would be great to get Nic going again, getting him fully functioning again,” Steve Nash said at practice in Brooklyn on Monday about Nic Claxton, who has appeared in one game since his weight- and energy-sapping illness. “We saw him Friday night and obviously it looked like he hadn’t played in a while, was fouling and just a little out of rhythm. And that’s normal for a guy who has had that much of a layoff, lost a bunch of weight, is trying to get himself back in shape. By the end of the year, we would love Nic to be a great add to what we do on both ends of the floor.” 

Claxton has appeared in five games so far this season, averaging 5.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game for Brooklyn.