Brooklyn rests Michael Porter Jr. during back-to-back games against the Jazz on a winning streak
The Brooklyn Nets rest several rotation pieces during Thursday’s back-to-back vs Utah Jazz on a two-game winning streak. Michael Porter Jr. will miss the game due to a lower back injury. Drake Powell will also be sidelined with a left knee injury.
Terence Mann is likely after missing Brooklyn’s last two games with rib soreness.
Porter Jr. missed two games last week due to lower back pain. However, he looked healthy during the Nets’ last two outingsleading the team to victories over the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls. The 27-year-old averaged 35.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists on 23-of-44 (52.3 percent) shooting from the field and 12-of-23 (52.2 percent) from three in the pair of wins.
Powell missed most of the offseason due to tendinopathy of the left knee. However, he was impressive after returning from an ankle injury during Brooklyn’s final 13 games. The rookie wing averaged 7.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists on 48/37/94 shooting during that span.
The Nets are resting Michael Porter Jr. during the Jazz match after back-to-back wins
The Nets have fallen to fifth place in the lottery table after the last two wins. They are 2.5 games behind the Washington Wizards, 1.5 behind the New Orleans Pelicans and Indiana Pacers and 0.5 behind the Sacramento Kings. Meanwhile, Utah is ninth at 7-13, 2.5 games behind Brooklyn.
The Jazz owe their top-eight protected first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder this season.
Taking Porter Jr. out of the lineup will make things difficult for Brooklyn offensively on Thursday. The Nets averaged 101.0 points, 22.0 assists and 19.0 turnovers on 43.5 percent shooting during a pair of games without Porter Jr. last week. However, they averaged 114.5 points, 31.5 assists and 16.0 turnovers while shooting 46.6 percent over their previous two wins following his return.
Jusuf Nurkic is the only Jazz starter on Thursday’s injury report. The veteran center is questionable with a rib contusion. Kevin Love will miss the game due to rest.
2025-12-04 18:42:00
