Brooklyn Nets: 3 takeaways from oddly encouraging loss at Milwaukee

2. Hollis-Jefferson’s night cut short by adductor strain

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson made a drive toward the basket and came up limping before calling a timeout while trapped under the rim.

He remained on the floor for another minute or so before leaving in favor of Jared Dudley with 9:01 remaining in the first quarter.

If there is a dark cloud looming over the Brooklyn Nets’ first consecutive losses since their eight-game losing streak that ended November and began December, it was the announcement by the Nets that RHJ would not return to the game due to a right adductor strain.

If was a strained right adductor in early August that lingered into training camp for Hollis-Jefferson, wiping out the entire preseason and forcing him to miss the regular-season opener.

RHJ had started the last 18 games for the Nets since replacing Dudley in the starting unit on Nov. 25.

Not counting Saturday’s truncated appearance, Hollis-Jefferson has averaged 11.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 28.0 minutes per game since assuming the starting role, shooting 40.9 percent overall and 7-for-19 from 3-point range.

His performance has been solid, but also inconsistent offensively. Defensively, however, RHJ had taken on all comers, guarding every position on the floor at various points.

The Nets have three days off before resuming play Wednesday back at home against the New Orleans Pelicans. But the last time Hollis-Jefferson had an adductor problem, he was limited for more than two months.

Defensively, that could be a big loss for the Nets to have to weather while already without a top-flight perimeter defender in Caris LeVert for the last six weeks and counting.