The Nets will begin a five-game road trip Saturday with a visit to Golden State to play the Warriors (8:30 PM EST). This will be the second and final matchup for the Nets and Warriors.
The Warriors took the first game in Brooklyn on November 16, 2021, in a blowout fashion, with a final score of 117-99. Brooklyn has lost a season-high three games in a row, while Golden State is looking to win their fifth home game in a row.
The last time the Nets played in Golden State was on February 13, 2021, when they led by as many as 28 points and won the game 134-117.
This season the road has been kind to Brooklyn, having gone 17-6 and the Nets will welcome Kyrie Irving, James Harden, and Nicolas Claxton back into the lineup. Harden missed Wednesday’s game against the Nuggets with “hamstring tightness,” but many believed had more to do with the fact the Nets were playing back-to-back contests.
Nets coach Steve Nash told reporters, “I think it’s more precaution with back-to-backs.”
The Nets will not have Kevin Durant, who will miss his seventh straight game with an MCL sprain. However, there was some potentially positive news when Nash said earlier in the week that Durant would be re-evaluated next week.
Nash also went on to say “we’ll see” in regards to being out through the All-Star break.
Without Durant, the Nets will have to continue to weather the storm in the incredibly tight Eastern Conference. They have fallen all the way down to the fifth seed in the conference (tied with 76ers for sixth) and they are two games out from the play-in tournament, but also only 2.5 games out of first.
The Nets will look to play with the same intensity and energy that the role players brought Wednesday against the Nuggets. Being incredibly shorthanded — No Durant, Harden, Irving, Claxton and no Joe Harris — no one gave the Nets a chance to win. They opened up a 65-54 lead at halftime, before ultimately losing the game down the stretch 124-118.
“We’re proud of the guys for the response 24 hours later,” Nash said following the loss on Wednesday.
Nets Notables
The Nets are 17-6 on the road and are 18-5 in games with Harden and Irving without Durant (2-2 this season). … Brooklyn is 4-3 in games Kyrie Irving has played in this season; scoring 120.4 PPG on 51.3/38.4/85.4 shooting splits as a team. … The Nets have a 6-3 record this season when James Harden scores 30+ points and are 5-4 when he records a triple-double.
Nets Injury Report
- · David Duke Jr. (G League- Two way)-OUT
- · Kevin Durant (left knee- MCL sprain)- OUT
- · Joe Harris (left ankle surgery)- OUT
- · Paul Millsap (personal reasons)- OUT
Warriors Injury Report
- · Draymond Green (back)- OUT
- · James Wiseman (arthroscopic knee surgery)- OUT
- · Nemanja Bjelica (back spasms)- QUESTIONABLE
How To Watch
Saturday’s game will air on ABC with Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, and Lisa Salters on the call. Tip-off is set for 8:30 PM EST.
