A thin Brooklyn Nets point guard rotation lost its leader on Thursday night. D’Angelo Russell was ruled out of a 110-97 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers after spraining his ankle in the third quarter.
Brooklyn led by five when Russell exited the game but immediately surrendered a 28-11 run en route to a blowout.
Russell has been an integral piece for the Nets since joining the team in a Dec. 29 trade from the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s averaged 13.8 points and 5.8 assists. The team is 8-9 in games he’s played and 0-6 when he’s sat.
While Russell has struggled shooting the ball (38.1 percent from the field and 31.8 percent from three), his ball-handling, facilitation and improved defense have been a calming presence for a team lacking high-end offensive creators. The veteran floor general has posted a 0.1 Box Plus-Minus, the team’s highest mark among players averaging over 20 minutes per game (minimum 10 games played).
Nets point guard rotation takes massive blow with D’Angelo Russell injury
After buying out Ben Simmons, Russell is the one player the Nets cannot afford to lose if they hope to keep their play-in hopes alive. Trendon Watford, Killian Hayes and Reece Beekman are the team’s other options at point guard.
Watford has been effective behind Russell since returning from a hamstring injury. The 24-year-old has averaged 10.7 points and 2.4 assists on 49.2 percent shooting in 20.1 minutes per game over seven appearances. He’s posted a team-best 9.3 Box Plus-Minus during that span. However, he’s not a traditional point guard and better suited in a reserve role.
Hayes joined the Nets on a 10-day contract on Wednesday after spending the first half of the season with Brooklyn’s G-League affiliate. He debuted against the Cavs, posting five points and three assists on 2-of-6 shooting in 21 minutes off the bench. The former N0. 7 pick offers defense and facilitation at point guard, but his offensive limitations have been well-documented throughout his career.
Beekman has struggled to make an impact since joining the team from the Golden State Warriors in the Dennis Schroder trade. The two-way point guard has averaged 2.2 points and 1.5 assists on 34/21/56 shooting splits in 10.9 minutes per game over 20 appearances. Brooklyn sent him down to the G League ahead of the Cavs matchup.
A 6-2 stretch has vaulted the Nets into a race for the Eastern Conference’s final play-in spot. Following Thursday’s loss, they are 1.5 games behind the Chicago Bulls for 10th place.
Cam Thomas’ impending return will ease offensive concerns if Russell misses an extended period. The fourth-year guard has been sidelined since Jan. 2 by a hamstring strain but participated in his first five-on-five scrimmages on Thursday.
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