The Brooklyn Nets lost their season opener on Wednesday, 114-113, to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Brooklyn led by five with under a minute left but failed to make the clutch plays down the stretch needed to win. Cam Thomas dropped 36 points off the bench, the most points off the bench in a season opener in NBA history, but missed the potential game-winning shot.
Brooklyn will look to rebound tonight in Dallas as they face Kyrie Irving for the first time since he was traded from the Nets to the Mavs in February. Dallas beat the Spurs in San Antonio 126-119 on Wednesday Night in the long-anticipated NBA debut of Victor Wembanyama. Luka Doncic had a triple-double, and rookie center Dereck Lively II posted 16 points and 10 boards off the bench.
Brooklyn will have their hands full tonight and will not have some of their starting five available.
Nic Claxton’s status for Brooklyn Nets at Dallas Mavericks on October 27
The Nets starting center and anchor of their defense will miss tonight’s contest. Claxton is nursing a left ankle sprain that he suffered during the second quarter of Wednesday’s loss. Claxton finished the game but was spotted wearing a walking boot during Friday’s shootaround.
Brooklyn Nets’ full injury report for tonight
Nets rookie Dariq Whitehead has been rehabbing from right foot surgery and will not play tonight. His exact timetable is not known, but he is not expected to return in the next couple of weeks. Starting forward Cam Johnson is questionable tonight with a hamstring injury that has plagued him since the start of camp. He played Wednesday but is uncertain for tonight.
Upcoming Brooklyn schedule
The Nets road trip will continue next week with games in Charlotte (Monday), Miami (Wednesday), and Chicago (Friday) before returning to New York City to play the Boston Celtics next Saturday night.
Kyrie Irving on Nets tenure: “the Nets should have just released me”
Kyrie Irving will face the Nets tonight for the first time since Brooklyn shipped him to Dallas in February, and had a lot to say about the Nets this week