Skip to content

Nets without Jack and Bogdanovic Monday

Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

If the Brooklyn Nets are going to hang onto the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference for another day, they're probably going to have to do it with a razor-thin backcourt.

While it's early to be looking at the playoff picture on a game-by-game basis, the bottom of the East was strengthened at the deadline, with the Nets flipping Kevin Garnett for Thad Youngh. With six teams within two games of each other for the final two playoff spots, every win matters.

The Nets will be in tough for such a win at high altitude against the Denver Nuggets on Monday. Jarrett Jack, who left a Feb. 11 game with a strained left hamstring, is out, as is rookie Bojan Bogdanovic after spraining his left ankle in practice Sunday.

The Nets are somewhat well-equipped to deal with Jack's absence, simply by inserting Deron Williams into the starting lineup, but the team lacks guard depth behind Williams. That's something they may have to remedy with a roster move, as Jack is unsure when he can return.

Jack is averaging 12.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and five assists, having held on to the starting gig even after Williams returned from injury.

Bogdanovic's injury is disappointing, as he'd been playing his best ball of the season over the last month. After averaging 6.9 points on 40.8 percent shooting in 21.7 minutes in his first 19 games, he's averaged 9.7 points on 42.9 percent shooting in 25.7 minutes over his last 17. He had even been moved into the starting lineup on Friday for the first time in nearly a month.

The absence of both Jack and Bogdanovic would leave the Nets playing fairly big, with Alan Anderson and Joe Johnson acting as the team's shooting guards and Johnson possibly being tasked with running the offense for stretches.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox