The Nets had an enjoyable Monday night, as they ended a four-game losing streak by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 111 to 86. Brooklyn’s win had fun moments, but star guard Cameron Thomas suffered an ankle injury for the second time this season.
Thankfully, Cam has said he’s not concerned about his ankle, highlighting that it’s not as bad as the previous injury. Bleacher Report and TNT’s Chris Haynes reported that Cam’s X-rays were negative, which is encouraging.
“That’s the way it feels, less severe. I should be fine. Yeah, I mean, I’m able to walk on it, so it’s not bad. We’ll take it day by day. But it’s not as bad as last time, so I’m not really concerned,” Cam said to the media after the big win.
The Nets need Thomas to be healthy
Brooklyn struggled without Thomas earlier this season when he missed close to a month. It led to Mikal Bridges shouldering most of the offensive load, which was a rough experience, considering the Nets rely on them as a duo.
Since Thomas couldn’t put any pressure on his ankle, there was a worry that he would take a long while to return. It would be a big blow to the Nets if he loses a significant amount of time, especially since they’re hunting for a spot in the Play-In Tournament.
Brooklyn has a reliable guard option in Lonnie Walker IV, who could naturally slot into the starting shooting guard position. However, Coach Kevin Ollie has multiple options, with Mikal Bridges moving to shooting guard while Cameron Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith start in the forward positions.
Thomas expects to be fine
Cam is not worried about his injury, which should be a good sign. If he can walk properly, he could feature as soon as possible, but the game against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night is a question mark.
Since that is the second night of a back-to-back, it might be best to sit him out alongside Ben Simmons, who can’t play back-to-back games yet. Nets fans will hope both of them get healthy, as their backcourt tandem can lead the team to great success.
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