The Brooklyn Nets ruled out guard Joe Harris for the second consecutive game ahead of Monday's matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Harris missed Friday's 118-100 Nets win over Milwaukee after reporting soreness in his left knee.

The game marked Harris' first injury-related absence since Oct. 27 vs. Dallas. The sharpshooter underwent a pair of reconstructive surgeries on his left ankle last season and this summer.

Harris has not returned to his old form while returning from the ankle injury this season, shooting 38.2 percent from 3-point range (worst since his rookie season) while playing a significantly reduced role from prior years. However, the seventh-year Net had turned in his best stretch over 10 games prior to being sidelined, averaging 11.1 points on 54.7 percent shooting from the field and 51.1 percent from 3-land.

And while he has struggled shooting, Harris is having one of the best defensive seasons of his career. The veteran has been one of the Nets' more reliable defenders, holding up against guards in the pick-and-roll or isolation, as well as bigger wings in the post. Harris is Brooklyn's highest-graded isolation defender, allowing 0.5 points per possession on those plays.

T.J. Warren, Yuta Watanabe, Edmond Sumner and Seth Curry could all see added minutes with Harris sidelined. Friday’s win over the Bucks marked Brooklyn’s eighth straight win and 12th in 13 games. After a 2-7 start, the red-hot Nets sit just 2.5 games back of the Celtics for first place in the Eastern Conference and a half-game back of the Cavaliers for third.

Brooklyn will have an opportunity to make up more ground in the standings when they travel to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse Monday.