Nets injuries becoming growing concern with Cam Johnson, Cam Thomas exiting Warriors win early
SAN FRANCISCO – The Nets added Cam Johnson and Cam Thomas to their list of wounded, both forced out of Monday’s win.
Brooklyn was without Nic Claxton, Dorian Finney-Smith, Ben Simmons 🍷and Noah Clowney already.
But Johnson sprained his right ankle in the first quarter landing on Draymond Green’s foot, and hobbled thr✤ough the final 7:22 of the 🌺first half before not returning in the second.
The Nets had no update on his status.
Thomas ha𝔉d 23 points bu♏t was pulled with 6:43 left in the third.
He missed the Charlotte game with a sore back, was under the weather Friday in Philadelphia to start the road trip, and got rested 🐭by Jordi Fernandez.
“I ended up taking him out because he took a foul, he was tired,” said Fernandez. “I didn’t feel it was right. And I just wanted to protect him from himself.”
Simmons rested Monday because he’s not cleared for back to backs, but is ex🤪pected to return Wednesday in Phoenix.
Finney-Smಌith (ankle) and Claxton (back) are both TBD against the Suns🦄, who are getting Kevin Durant back Tuesday night.
After an up-and-down start to the season, Clowney had the best performance of his career in Sunday’s 108-103 win at Sacramento, and promptly got hurt.
He missed the tail end of the back-to-back against the Warriors with a spraine🔴d left ankle.
Clowney had an MRI, the results of which weren’t in by tipoff at Chase Center, and Net♒s coach Jordi Fernandez wasn’t su🦄re if the young big had X-rays.
“It could be worse, and it ain💮’t worse. So, I’m happy,” said C🐻lowney.
Claxton’s back bears watching.
He first injured𒁃 it over the summer, calling it a “long-term thing” and acknowledging that he’ll “probaꦬbly be managing for a while.”
Neither Cla✨xton nor💜 Fernandez could say what ‘a while’ meant.
“In professional sports, especially in this league, a lot of these guys play with bumps and bruises. What we need them is to believe that they’re good to go,” said Fernandez. “And if we feel like a guy is not confident, we’re gonna let them make the decisions. I think that’s fair. If you play and you’re afraid to get hurt, you’re going to get hurt. So we don’t want that for Nic or anybody.
“We’re going to help him be confident, and when he’s on the court it’s because he feels 200 percent. So that’s where we are right now with Nic.”
Ziaire Williams had to start aওs a small-ball center with injury-riddled Brooklyn playing five-out.
He ha𒐪d his second career double-double with 17 points and 10 boards.
He di🦂dn’t recall playing center in the the NBA or college♉.
“Shoot man, probably high school. In high school I was a point-center,” said Williams. “It’s fun, man, I just love to play, love to compete. Whatever coa🍨ch wants me to do, I just go out there and give my full effort.”
Th🦄e turnove𒊎rs were essentially even, but Brooklyn outscored the Warriors, 26-13, off turnovers.
“Coach wants to play fast. In the first six seconds he w𝔍ants to shoot the ball,” said Dennis Schroder.
Brooklyn recalled Dariq Whitehead from Long Islaౠnd, for whom he’d scored 26 points Sunday in Toronto.
“I’m starting to trust my body a lot more each game, and obviously it’s showing on the stats,” said Whitehead. “But moreso for me it’s just keeping it consistent. Got to keep it consistent.”
