The Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers meet Thursday at 7:00 p.m. ET at Rocket Arena with injuries impacting both rotations.
Brooklyn will be without starting center Nic Claxton, who is out with a right ankle sprain. The 26-year-old is averaging 12.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 59.0% from the field across 50 games.
Claxton’s absence removes the Nets’ primary rim protector and pick-and-roll finisher. He also ranks among the team’s leaders in defensive rebounds and blocks, which places added pressure on Day’Ron Sharpe and Noah Clowney to control the paint.
Sharpe is averaging 8.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per game while shooting 61.1%. Clowney, a 21-year-old forward, contributes 13.0 points and 4.3 boards but is shooting 39.2% from the floor.
Brooklyn enters at 15-38, 13th in the Eastern Conference standings. The group dropped a 115-110 loss to the Indiana Pacers on February 11 after defeating the Chicago Bulls 123-115 two days earlier.
Offensively, the Nets are led by Michael Porter Jr., who is posting 25.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest while shooting 38.5% from three on 9.5 attempts.
Cleveland, meanwhile, sits fourth in the East at 34-21 and has won five straight games. The club defeated the Washington Wizards 138-113 on February 11 and edged the Denver Nuggets 119-117 on February 9.
The Cavaliers will be without wing Max Strus, who is recovering from left foot surgery for a Jones fracture. He remains out indefinitely.
Forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin is also sidelined with left calf soreness. Several two-way players, including Tristan Enaruna, Emanuel Miller and Riley Minix, are unavailable due to G League assignments.
Cleveland’s core remains intact. Donovan Mitchell is averaging 29.0 points and 5.9 assists while shooting 48.7% from the field. Evan Mobley provides 17.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks, and Jarrett Allen is converting 62.3% of his shots while pulling down 8.3 rebounds per game.
The Cavaliers won the first meeting this season 131-124 on October 24 in Brooklyn.
