The Brooklyn Nets are giving two of their top players the night off following a win over the Washington Wizards. Michael Porter Jr. and Egor Demin were ruled out for Monday's matchup with the Chicago Bulls.
Brooklyn labeled Porter's status as right knee tendinitis, while Demin was given the night off for rest.
Porter suffered what he called “a little” MCL sprain during a Jan. 7 win over the Orlando Magic. However, he did not miss any time due to the injury. Meanwhile, Demin has gotten several nights off for injury management, most of which have come during back-to-backs, after missing most of the offseason due to a plantar fascia tear.
Porter and Demin's rest night comes after the Nets snapped a three-game losing streak with a 127-113 blowout win over the Wizards on Saturday.
Michael Porter Jr., Egor Demin sidelined vs. Bulls after Nets win
After entering the game tied with Brooklyn for fourth in the draft lottery standings, Washington rested nearly its entire rotation on Saturday. The Wizards had only eight available players, three of whom were on two-way contracts and one of whom was a recent 10-day signing.
Saturday's win dropped Brooklyn to fifth in the lottery standings, a game behind the Wizards. Meanwhile, the Utah Jazz's 120-117 loss to the Magic pulled them within one game of the Nets. The Jazz led by seven points entering the fourth quarter, but did not play their two top players, Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr., for the entire final period.
Whether they like it or not, the Nets will have to take similar measures to maintain their position in the tank race during the second half of the season. With Porter and Demin sidelined, Brooklyn will enter as a heavy underdog vs. Chicago.
The Nets will return to Barclays Center on Wednesday for a critical tank matchup with the Indiana Pacers. Brooklyn is two games behind Indiana for second place in the lottery standings.
