Nets' Cam Johnson, D'Angelo Russell remain out for crucial draft positioning matchup vs. Jazz
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The Brooklyn Nets continue to approach injuries to two of their top players cautiously as losses pile up. Cam Johnson and D’Angelo Russell will remain sidelined for Sunday’s road matchup with the Utah Jazz. Johnson will miss his fifth consecutive game with a right ankle sprain, while Russell will sit out his fourth straight with a right shin contusion.
Head coach Jordi Fernandez said Friday that both players were day-to-day. Cam Thomas will also be sidelined for the Jazz matchup. He will miss the remaining four games of the West Coast trip due to a left hamstring strain.
The Nets have lost four straight with Johnson, Russell, and Thomas sidelined. During that span, their offense ranked dead last, averaging 99.0 points and 17.0 turnovers on 41 percent shooting from the field and 32.3 percent from three.
Cam Johnson, D’Angelo Russell’s extended absences continue as Nets struggle
Johnson injured his ankle during the closing seconds of a Jan. 2 road win over the Milwaukee Bucks. He injured the same ankle earlier this season during a Nov. 25 road win over the Golden State Warriors. Fernandez said Wednesday that the Nets expect the veteran wing to play during the road trip.
Johnson has been Brooklyn’s most consistent player this season and one of the NBA’s top wings. The 28-year-old has averaged 19.5 points per game on 50/44/90 shooting splits. He ranks fourth in the league in three-point percentage among 60 players attempting at least six per game, trailing only Zach LaVine, Kyrie Irving and Norman Powell.
Russell injured his shin early in his third game with the Nets after they acquired him from the Los Angeles Lakers. The veteran point guard was effective during his first two appearances, averaging 16.5 points, 10.0 assists and 2.0 turnovers per game on 50.0 percent shooting.
The Nets’ injuries during the Jazz matchup could prove beneficial in the long run. Utah is 3.5 games ahead of Brooklyn for fifth place in the draft lottery standings. However, the Jazz will be on the second night of a back-to-back after losing 114-106 to the Suns in Phoenix on Saturday.
Jordan Clarkson (left Plantar Fasciitis), John Collins (left hip injury management) and Keyonte George (left heel inflammation) all missed the Suns matchup. Their statuses against the Nets have yet to be determined.
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