The Brooklyn Nets will take on the Miami Heat on Saturday in what could be a preview for a future first-round playoff matchup.
The Nets will have Seth Curry and Goran Dragic available to play against the Heat, both of whom were unable to play in the team’s 130-122 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Curry exited the Nets’ win over the Jazz due to an ankle injury that has not fully healed. His performance came to an end after 12 minutes of action, and he came up empty in the box score aside from a pair of missed shot attempts.
He recently explained how he’s been dealing with his ankle injury since “probably a month before the trade,” and it’s not going to heal until the offseason. However, there’s a plan with the training and coaching staff to manage it.
Curry’s presence in the starting lineup has been significant since the James Harden trade due to Kyrie Irving’s prior part-time player status. With Irving’s eligibility restored for home games, perhaps Brooklyn can more easily manage his injury.
Due to a knee injury, Dragic has consistently been listed on the official NBA injury report. He was able to play 32 minutes against the Jazz, but he struggled in the scoring department. He finished with seven points while going 3-11 (27.3 percent) from the floor and 1-5 (20.0 percent) from beyond the arc.
The Nets deployed Kessler Edwards in the starting lineup, with Curry and Dragic both sidelined. Edwards played for 20 minutes and finished with three points and six rebounds with one steal and one block.
Against the Heat, it’ll help the Nets to have the shooting gravity that Curry brings to the half-court offense to make it more challenging for the defense to load up on Irving and Durant. Dragic’s familiarity with Miami should undoubtedly come in handy, too.
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