MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Cam Thomas said the ankle injury that cost him Monday’s win wasn’t as serious as the injury that cost him nearly a month earlier in the season.
“It’s like that,” Thomas said. “It should be okay.”
The fact that Thomas was not sent back to New York and immediately ruled out of Tuesday’s game at Orlando is reassuring.
Thomas sprained his right ankle when he hit teammate Dayron Sharpe in the leg in the fourth quarter of Monday’s 111-86 win over the Grizzlies.
He came off the bench with 7:23 left with the Nets leading 97-73, but although he helped get off the floor, he was unable to put pressure on his ankle.
Thomas, the Nets’ second-leading scorer, finished the night with 14 points, a game-high-tying five assists and no turnovers.
Thomas sprained his other ankle against the Clippers on November 9, missed the next nine games, and finally returned on November 30. However, he was confident that this injury would be less serious and the recovery time would be much shorter.
“It’s like, it’s not that serious,” Thomas said. “It should be okay.”
Later, in the locker room, Thomas was limping around with his ankle covered in ice. Still, the Nets, who needed a mobility scooter after a November sprain, consider it a blessing.
According to TNT, X-ray tests were negative.
“Yeah, I mean, I can walk on it, so it’s not bad,” Thomas said. “We’ll take it day by day. But it’s not as bad as last time, so I’m not too worried.”
Ben Simmons is scheduled to miss Tuesday. This is simply a management issue as he has not yet received permission from the performance team to continue playing.
“Yes, I feel like we’re getting closer. If possible. [soon]”Said Simmons.
He was initially listed as questionable on Monday with soreness in his left foot, but came off the bench at the 14:10 mark and recorded four points, six rebounds and three assists.
Simmons was forced to leave Saturday’s loss to Minnesota with 8:04 left in the third quarter and did not return. He tested his legs in pregame warmups until just before tipoff Monday, then was cleared.
“It’s okay,” Simmons said. “Yeah, I mean, regardless of how I feel, I’m going to give this team everything I’ve got.”
The 86 points the Nets have allowed are the fewest they have allowed this season.
The Nets had seven players score in double figures and shot .489 overall. They had 32 assists on 44 baskets with just eight turnovers.
Their shooting percentage and offensive rating are the worst in the NBA in their last eight games, after losing seven of those games.
