The Brooklyn Nets will be shorthanded for the second straight game when they travel to face the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday. The Nets ruled out Michael Porter Jr. (right ankle sprain), Day'Ron Sharpe (left thumb sprain) and Nolan Traore (rest) for the matchup. Ziaire Williams (illness) is questionable.
The Nets recently shut down breakout rookie Egor Demin for the season due to a plantar fascia injury. The lengthy injury report comes after Sharpe and Williams missed Tuesday's 138-100 loss to the Detroit Pistons. Brooklyn benched veteran Terance Mann during the game, playing recent two-way signing Chaney Johnson and trade acquisition Josh Minott extended minutes.
These rotation changes followed back-to-back wins over the Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies, which cost the Nets significant ground in the NBA's tank race.
Nets rule out several starters for Hawks matchup after back-to-back wins
Brooklyn was tied with the Indiana Pacers for second in the draft lottery standings and within striking distance of the Sacramento Kings for first last week. However, the Nets rode a veteran-heavy rotation to a comeback win over the Pistons on Saturday. They then played most of their rotation against the Grizzlies, who were missing their eight highest-paid players, and cruised to a win on Monday.
The pair of victories dropped Brooklyn to fourth in the lottery standings. Jordi Fernandez's squad has one more win than the Sacramento Kings and Washington Wizards in second and third, respectively, and two more than the Pacers in first.
Despite their recent wins, the Nets control their destiny in the draft lottery race. Brooklyn's remaining schedule features two matchups with the Kings, as well as meetings with the Pacers and Wizards.
Losses in those games would allow the Nets to climb to the top spot in the odds for May's draft lottery.
