The Brooklyn Nets will be without their top player on Friday against the Utah Jazz. Michael Porter Jr. will miss the matchup on the second night of a back-to-back due to personal reasons.
Porter scored 38 points during the Nets' 107-103 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday. However, he has yet to appear in a back-to-back this season. Friday marks the second time this year he's been ruled out due to personal reasons.
The Jazz will be without Lauri Markkanen (rest), Jusuf Nurkic (illness) and Kevin Love (illness) vs. the Nets. Friday's matchup has significant implications for the draft lottery standings.
Michael Porter Jr. ruled out for Nets during tank matchup vs. Jazz
Following a seven-game losing streak, the Nets are tied with the Washington Wizards for fourth place in the lottery standings. Both teams are two games ahead of the Jazz, who sit in sixth.
Utah owes the Oklahoma City Thunder its 2026 first-round pick, top-eight protected. The Jazz recently held Markkanen out for seven games due to illness and a return-to-play conditioning period.
Porter has averaged 25.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists on 48.2 percent shooting from the field and 39.8 percent from three across 38 appearances with Brooklyn. Markkanen has averaged 27.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists on 47.9 percent shooting from the field and 36.4 percent from three across 35 appearances this season.
The Jazz and Nets have had little success with their top players sidelined. Utah is 1-12 in games without Markkanen. Meanwhile, Brooklyn is 0-8 with an average margin of defeat of 16.1 points in games Porter has missed.
The Nets will also be without Noah Clowney on Friday due to a lower back ailment.
