Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving is out for Monday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers due to hamstring tightness, the team announced a few hours before tip-off.
It is unfortunate for the Nets that Irving is unable to play, as he had recently returned from a shoulder injury that kept him out for 26 games. However, the team is clearly erring on the side of caution. He has played fairly well since coming back, averaging 22.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.7 steals over his last three games.
With Irving out for Monday's game against the Sixers, players like Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert would likely see more playing time for the Nets, who are currently holding an 18-23 overall record.
Though his team has struggled to find a rhythm through the first half of this season, Irving believes the Nets will be better once everyone is healthy:
“It's not like we're going to pack it in and just say, ‘Hey, let's see.' No, when I say see where we end up, it's in that 6, 7, 8 spot,” Irving said, via ESPN. “Put a realistic goal in front of you and really go after it. … So heading into All-Star break, you want to have these great tests, see what we can learn from them and move forward. Then after All-Star break, we get everybody back, and I feel like we'll be in a better place.”
Several players remain on Brooklyn's injury report. Kevin Durant, who joined the team prior to the start of this season, will not play in this campaign as he continues to recover from an Achilles injury. DeAndre Jordan (dislocated middle finger), Joe Harris (back) and Wilson Chandler (left hamstring tightness) are currently listed as day-to-day. Harris missed Saturday's game with lower back soreness, marking his first absence of the season. However, he has been cleared to play in Monday's game.
Monday's matchup between the Nets and Sixers is set to tip inside the Barclays Center at 3:00 p.m. ET.
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