The Brooklyn Nets are coming off a crushing 113-98 NBA Cup loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Yet, the Nets must have short-term memory going into their cross-conference matchup against the Sacramento Kings. Brooklyn is battling several injury woes, and Dorian Finney-Smith, Dennis Schroder, and Trendon Watford received updates ahead of Sunday night's game.
Finney-Smith has been dealing with a left ankle sprain, and the Nets have ruled him out against the Kings, Erik Slater of ClutchPoints reports. In addition, Schroder (right ankle soreness), and Watford (left adductor soreness) have been downgraded to probable. Hopefully, each player will undergo a speedy recovery.
The injury bug hit the Nets hard in their two previous games. Cam Thomas missed Brooklyn's 116-115 Nov. 19 win over the Charlotte Hornets due to lower back tightness. Thomas admitted that recovering from the ailment, in addition to being under the weather, affected his play in Friday's loss to the 76ers.
Nic Claxton also missed the Hornets win due to his lower back strain recovery but played against the 76ers. Claxton later revealed that his back injury initially occurred during the summer and has been a lingering issue he will need to maintain long-term.
Health is one of the Nets' most serious needs early on in the season. The team's medical and training staff will surely continue to work tirelessly alongside the players to help get them to full strength.
Can Nets bounce back against hungry Kings?
Brooklyn enters its Sacramento matchup with a 6-10 record, which places them 10th in the Eastern Conference standings. The Kings are not far off in the West with an 8-8 record, placing them 12th in the conference. Sacramento is coming off a tough 104-88 NBA Cup loss to the Los Angeles Clippers and is on a two-game losing streak.
Thus, the Kings will do everything they can to defend their home court on Sunday. The Nets will need to closely monitor the three-headed monster of De'Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, and DeMar DeRozan. However, Fox might be the one Brooklyn should keep extra tabs on.
Fox scored an incredible career-high 60 points in Sacramento's 130-126 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 15. He scored 49 points the next day in a 121-117 win over the Utah Jazz. Elite guards are no stranger to Brooklyn, having taken on LaMelo Ball and Tyrese Maxey in their last two matchups.
Can the Nets keep Fox and the rest of Sacramento's contributors at bay and take the road win?