When: 3:30 PM EST; Sunday, March 29th, 2015
Where: Barclays Center; Brooklyn, NY
TV: YES
Believe or not, but the Brooklyn Nets have won six of their last eight games to bring them within just a half-game of the N0. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference. An early March five-game losing streak–including four straight home losses–seemingly did Brooklyn in, all but eliminating them from playoff contention.
However, their recent resurgence–a home win over the Cavaliers on Friday was a real high point–has kept them in the chase, meaning each of their remaining 11 regular season games holds increasing importance. That, of course, includes today’s matinee at Barclays against the Lakers, who are in the midst of a nightmare season filled with injuries all over the place.
Los Angeles, holding the fourth-worst record in the NBA, has been without Kobe Bryant (shoulder) since late January and recently lost the already-injured Steve Nash–who hadn’t played since last April–to retirement. Also, guys like Nick Young and Ryan Kelly have missed significant time, leading to former Nets coach Byron Scott’s team being the most injured team of this season.
The Lakers have missed 273 games due to injury/illness this season, the most in the NBA, but this is the first game Jeremy Lin is out.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) March 29, 2015
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This doesn’t even include LA’s 2014 lottery pick–Julius Randle out of Kentucky, taken 7th overall–who broke his leg in his NBA debut this October and was subsequently ruled out for the rest of the season. If you’re counting, that’s three potential starters to either miss the whole season or a large chunk of it. Pretty bad luck.
Probable Lineups
LAL- Jordan Clarkson (PG), Wayne Ellington (SG), Wesley Johnson (SF), Ryan Kelly (PF), Tarik Black (C)
BKN- Deron Williams (PG), Markel Brown (SG), Joe Johnson (SF), Mason Plumlee (PF), Brook Lopez (C)
Final Thoughts
Jeremy Lin and Carlos Boozer (respiratory infection) are both unable to go for the Lakers this afternoon, and Ed Davis (coach’s decision) won’t be in the lineup as well. This means Wayne Ellington will start. Also, Nick Young–who missed the Lakers’ last game, a loss to the Raptors with a fractured kneecap–probably won’t play either. For the Nets, Thaddeus Young is still out with the knee injury he suffered last week in Charlotte. Other than that–plus Mirza and Sergey Karasev of course–the Nets are intact in a vital game.
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