The Brooklyn Nets announced today that Brook Lopez and Reggie Evans will miss tonight’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Lopez was expected to miss tonight’s game, as he has not practiced since incurring a mild right foot strain against the Boston Celtics last week. Andray Blatche will start in his place for the third consecutive game. Reggie Evans is battling the flu.
This is a rough game for both players to miss — the Thunder are 14-4 and arguably the best team in the Western Conference. Evans has been a huge component of the Nets’ bench mob — as has Blatche — and now there will be added pressure on the rest of the Nets bigs to trap Russell Westbrook and contend with Serge Ibaka & Kendrick Perkins inside on both ends. The Nets play Gerald Wallace as a “small four” often, but may have to limit that tonight, as Wallace will have his hands full with the 6-foot-17 Kevin Durant. Mirza Teletovic will likely see some action tonight as well.
The Nets play the Thunder at Barclays Center tonight at 7:30 P.M.