Nets' D'Angelo Russell Will Miss Match Against Pacers

On Saturday night, the Brooklyn Nets are set to take on the Indiana Pacers, finishing off the second leg of a back-to-back set against them.

In their previous meeting on Thursday night, the Pacers managed to come out on top, 105-99, with Benedict Mathurin leading the way for Indiana with 28 points. The loss for the Nets came despite a valiant effort, taking the fourth-seeded side in the Eastern Conference to overtime before being outscored 8-14 in that extra period of play.

D'Angelo Russell and Ziare Williams managed to light up the floor for Brooklyn, combining for 44 points, with Trendon Watford's 15 points proving to be another source of offensive inspiration for Jordi Fernandez's side.

While Russell managed to be a pivotal part of the Nets' offensive scheme on Thursday night, the same will not be said for Saturday, as he has been listed as out due to soreness in his right ankle.

His right ankle has been a key point of concern for Russell and Brooklyn's medical staff since his arrival in late December, having already had issues with it in mid-February. The 29-year-old suffered a sprain to his right ankle in the Nets' loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in February, which caused him to miss out on five games.

This hasn't been the only part of his right leg to have suffered an injury during his most recent stint with Brooklyn, having suffered a contusion to his right shin in only his third game after the trade.

All injuries aside, Russell has managed to be one of the key parts of Fernandez's offensive cycle, averaging roughly 14 points per game on 37 percent from the field. It isn't just his shooting that makes him so important to Brooklyn's plans, as he has managed to direct traffic on the court and become a pivotal playmaker, averaging close to six assists per game.

All of this became much more important given the potentially season-ending injury that Cam Thomas suffered in early March, meaning Brooklyn is slated to be without their leading scorer.

With the 29-year-old slated to miss the match, Fernandez will have the likes of Keon Johnson, Jalen Wilson, and Reece Beekman to fill his shoes.

The Nets are set to take on the Pacers from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday night, with tip-off slated for 5:00 p.m. EST.