Inside The Nets

Nets Set to Be Without Star Against Pacers

The Brooklyn Nets are going to be without Cameron Johnson on Thursday night.

Declan Harris

Feb 5, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (2) warms up prior to the game against the Washington Wizards at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Feb 5, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (2) warms up prior to the game against the Washington Wizards at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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On Thursday night, the Brooklyn Nets will travel to the Gainbridge Fieldhouse to take on the Indiana Pacers. They're looking to win the season series. When the sides last met in mid-January, the Nets fell to the Pacers, 99-113, after Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin put on an offensive clinic, combining for 43 points and ten assists.

The main contributor for Brooklyn that night was Day'Ron Sharpe, who provided 16 points and 13 rebounds off of the bench. One of the key reasons for their struggles was the absence of their star players, D'Angelo Russell, Cam Thomas, and Cameron Johnson, all three of whom were key cogs in the Nets' offensive engine.

It appears they'll be set for a case of deja vu on Thursday night, as Brooklyn is going to be without the aforementioned Johnson, who will sit out due to rest.

The decision to rest Johnson comes in the midst of a hot streak for the former UNC star, as he is averaging 19 points on 50 percent from the field over his previous five matches. This has been much needed given the absence of Thomas, who could be out for the rest of the season after suffering a strain in his left hamstring.

His offensive work over that recent stretch is a testament to the kind of season he's in the middle of, one that has seen him soar to new highs on the offensive end, averaging roughly 19 points per game, which is a career-high for the 29-year-old.

Johnson's absence on Thursday night will be his fourteenth of the season, with a chunk of these coming as a result of a right ankle sprain. This is significantly lower than the 21 games that he was out for last season, proving to be more durable this year in what has been a tough season for the Nets when it comes to injuries.

Jordi Fernandez will have the likes of Trendon Watford, Noah Clowney, and Jalen Wilson to fill in for Johnson, as Tosan Evbuomwan will remain with the Long Island Nets as they continue their playoff push.

The Nets are set to take on the Pacers on Thursday night, with tip-off slated for 7:00 p.m. EST.

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Declan Harris
DECLAN HARRIS

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