Nick Claxton, who hurt his finger during the Nets’ 130-126 double-overtime defeat against the Celtics on Friday, is set to have imaging tests on Saturday.
The Brooklyn center exited the game with a strained right pinky finger but managed to finish with 18 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and two blocks, playing for 39 minutes.
“It hurts. I really don’t know what to expect. I just need to get an X-ray and an MRI,” Claxton expressed. “It’s painful. It was stuck, so they just taped it. We’ll find out more (Saturday).”
It remains uncertain how this will impact Claxton and the team.
Claxton plans to begin filming in New York on Saturday morning, with the Nets scheduled to fly to California around noon. Upon their arrival, more imaging tests might be conducted.
However, the results will likely not be available right away.
The Nets are kicking off a five-game road trip on Sunday against the Clippers.
If Claxton is sidelined, Dayron Sharp could step in as a starter for the fourth time this season.
Michael Porter Jr. bounced back with 30 points and eight rebounds after a lackluster outing against the Knicks. His shooting has been off lately, only hitting 41.4 percent overall and 33.3 percent from three-point territory since an MCL sprain against Orlando.
“Well, I think we’re turning a corner,” Porter noted. “Since the Orlando game, I’ve felt less explosive. My cuts are off, and I feel like I’ve lost some momentum, but that’s mostly the knee pain talking.”
“Fortunately, there’s nothing structurally wrong that prevents me from playing. It’s just a bit painful. I decided to finish the game instead of resting, and I’m starting to feel better. I think I’ll be close to 100 percent in the next game or two.”
On the other hand, Cam Thomas, who is usually a scoring machine, struggled on Friday with just seven points on 2-of-8 shooting, missing both of his three-point attempts.
Over the last eight games, he’s averaging 8.9 points and shooting 29.8 percent overall, with a 27.3 percent success rate from beyond the arc.
Yet, Thomas stated he feels healthy and is just trying to contribute where he can. “I’m a playmaking guy, and they want to see playmaking,” he said. “I’m coming off the bench. I’m taking what I can get.”
Jordi Fernández commented on the significance of international players in the NBA, referring to Egor Demmin and Real Madrid teammate Hugo Gonzalez. “The NBA doesn’t consider your passport, which is positive, especially nowadays. Everyone is welcome and can grow in this league.”
Demmin played just 21 minutes 05 seconds, while Nolan Traore clocked 36 minutes 51 seconds, but Fernández clarified that this was not a disciplinary measure.
