The Brooklyn Nets will be without their starting point guard for at least the next two games. D’Angelo Russell will remain sidelined through the weekend as he recovers from an ankle sprain. The veteran has missed the team’s last three games after injuring his ankle during Thursday’s loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Head coach Jordi Fernandez said Russell will return to practice and potentially game action next week. The 28-year-old has been integral to the Nets’ ability to compete since joining the team in a Dec. 29 trade from the Los Angeles Lakers. Brooklyn is 8-9 in games he has played and 1-6 in games he has missed.
Noah Clowney will also return to practice next week. The second-year forward has been sidelined since Jan. 27 by an ankle sprain and suffered a setback during a five-on-five scrimmage before the All-Star break. He’s averaged 9.4 points and 3.9 rebounds on 37.5 percent shooting from the field and 35.4 percent from three in 23.1 minutes per game this season.
Cam Thomas approaching return from hamstring injury for Nets
Cam Thomas is nearing a return from a hamstring injury that has sidelined him since Jan. 2. He participated in five-on-five scrimmages last week for the first time since sustaining the injury. Fernandez said on Wednesday that the fourth-year guard is day-to-day and will return soon but would not commit to a specific date.
“He’s done a great job. He played five-on-five and looks good. Obviously, getting readjusted to a real game, it doesn’t happen right away, but we’re excited to have him back at some point soon,” the coach said.
Thomas has struggled to stay on the floor this season while battling hamstring injuries. He missed six weeks earlier in the season before returning and sustaining another injury to the same leg during his second game back.
The 24-year-old had replaced Mikal Bridges as the Nets’ lead offensive option to start the year. He averaged a team-high 24.7 points per game on 45/38/88 shooting splits over 19 appearances. His return should bolster a Brooklyn offense that ranks 28th during a 7-3 stretch over the last 10 games.
The winning stretch has pulled the Nets within 1.5 games of the Chicago Bulls for the Eastern Conference’s final play-in spot with 25 remaining.
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