The Nets will be without Kevin Durant, who will lose his eighth straight game due to a sprained left tendon, but Kyrie Irving was not listed in Sunday’s team status report for Monday’s game against Spurs.
Irving, who lost Saturday’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks due to “maintenance” of his right shoulder, is available for the Nets. Rachel Nichols reported after the loss to the Mavs that Sean Marks told her that Irving’s shoulder had started to show some weariness in the past few days.
Reporting on Kyrie Irving, which was an unexpected scratch tonight for Nets-Mavs. Brooklyn GM Sean Marks told me that Kyrie started feeling shoulder fatigue after the last game, and a little more after a light workout yesterday. Same shoulder Kyrie had surgery on last year. pic.twitter.com/Jwwn6im6wD
– Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) February 28, 2021
Before Saturday’s defeat, Steve Nash said that Brooklyn will take “necessary precautions” on Irving’s shoulder, which is the same shoulder that Nets All-Star had surgery in February 2020. Nash said he expected Irving to play in the Monday against the Spurs, but noted that if he misses Monday’s game, the injury will not last until the All-Star break.
“I think it is maintenance. He knows your body. He discussed this with us and has a history with that shoulder, ”said Nash. “We’re just taking the necessary precautions to maintain maintenance with that shoulder, but I don’t think it’s anything more than that, so I hope he plays the next game, and if not, I don’t think it’s going to last. until the end of the All-Star. “
In addition to Irving, the Nets listed Jeff Green (right shoulder bruise) and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (right knee pain) as “questionable” for Monday’s game. Both Green and Luwawu-Cabarrot played for the Nets on Saturday.
Tyler Johnson, who suffered a scratch at the end of the game due to a migraine, was listed as “likely” against the Spurs. Johnson has been a key rotating piece for the Nets’ backcourt, providing a valuable defense and kick on the offensive side.
If the Nets eliminated Irving and Johnson from Monday’s game again, we can expect Landry Shamet, who progressively continues to shoot better, and Chris Chiozza, the Nets’ two-way point guard, to see more minutes on the backcourt with fewer players.