NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets already had their work cut out for them when they had to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday on the second leg of a back-to-back given how much effort was expended to beat the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday. To make matters worse, the Nets will be missing some key players as well.
Brooklyn announced on Tuesday that in addition to already not having Ben Simmons (back) or Lonnie Walker IV (hamstring) against Milwaukee, the Nets will also be without Nic Claxton (ankle injury maintenance), Spencer Dinwiddie (rest), and Cam Johnson (knee injury maintenance).
Seemingly seconds before Brooklyn head coach Jacque Vaughn addressed the media during his pregame press conference, the Nets announced that Dorian Finney-Smith, who was listed as questionable due to left knee soreness, was ruled out.
“We’ve been banged up some,” Vaughn said when referencing what led to the sitting of so many guys within the starting lineup and in the rotation. “We’re trying to get guys through whatever it takes to individually have themselves ready for the next game and the next stretch of games.”
Vaughn did mention that he was planning to use players that were called up from Brooklyn’s G League team, the Long Island Nets, for some minutes against the Bucks. The players that were called up, Noah Clowney and Dariq Whitehead, have only appeared in one game each this season.
The Nets say that for tonight's game against the Milwaukee Bucks:
Dorian Finney-Smith (left knee soreness) is QUESTIONABLE.
Nic Claxton (injury maintenance), Spencer Dinwiddie (rest), and Cam Johnson (injury maintenance) are OUT.
— Sharif Phillips-Keaton (@SharifKeaton) December 27, 2023
The Nets say that Dorian Finney-Smith (left knee soreness) is now OUT for tonight's game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
— Sharif Phillips-Keaton (@SharifKeaton) December 27, 2023
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