It appears Nets big man LaMarcus Aldridge, who suffered a hip injury last Sunday in Boston, is going to miss at least another week, if not more.
“LaMarcus has at least another week out,” coach Steve Nash said of the center. “We’ll reevaluate then.”
Aldridge had a solid 14-point, five-rebound effort in 23:26 against the Celtics, but suffered a right hip injury during the physical loss. He was sent home and an MRI exam showed an impingement that kept him out of the wins at Charlotte and Philadelphia. Now, not only will he miss the Sunday matinee against the visiting Knicks, but also presumably will be out for tilts at Orlando and against Dallas and Portland as well.
The Nets got by with just starter Andre Drummond and young Nic Claxton in the 129-100 win against the 76ers, not even using Blake Griffin.
When Drummond picked up three first-quarter fouls guarding Philadelphia’s MVP candidate, Joel Embiid, Claxton stepped up with a solid effort (nine points, eight rebounds, three blocks, plus-13). He’s looking to back that up with a strong effort against the Knicks and Mitchell Robinson, attempting to develop some consistency.
“It hasn’t been the easiest transition for me,” Claxton said. “It just sounds real repetitive but with the injuries, trying to get myself back into a flow. But I’m adjusting, just trying to string together some games, just get back to myself.
“Honestly, we all have a goal here. We’re working, we want to win a championship. And it’s just staying as present as I can, not getting bogged down on if I’m playing six minutes, if I’m playing 30 minutes and just staying the course. I know it’s a lot easier said than done, but that’s the challenge that I’m faced with for the rest of the year.”
With Aldridge out, the Nets are likely to at least call up center Day’Ron Sharpe from G-League Long Island.
The rookie first-round pick hasn’t played for the Nets since Feb. 28, sitting out the next two games and then being inactive the past three while on G-League assignment. But proximity will allow the Nets to use Sharpe on Sunday.
“I think he’ll join us [versus the Knicks],” Nash said. “But we definitely don’t want him to miss any games in Long Island. We still have three centers.
“[Sunday] he’ll be here just because it’s a home game. He’s going to be around, he can be with our group. But then he’ll go back. I think they have a game Monday in Long Island, or a practice. So he’ll be back with them.”
David Duke Jr. (left ankle sprain), Joe Harris (left ankle surgery), Ben Simmons (conditioning/back soreness) and Kyrie Irving also will be out Sunday.
The Nets-Sixers game Thursday night averaged 2.5 million viewers. It was the biggest TNT regular-season game since Dec. 19, 2019 (excluding opening night) according to Turner Sports, and won the night across all of TV in prime time in all key demographics.