Nets resting ridiculous amount of players for game against Pacers
Apr 23, 2022; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) looks up at the scoreboard in the third quarter against the Boston Celtics at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Tickets for this weekend’s game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Indiana Pacers might not exactly be the best investment.
The Nets revealed on Saturday morning that they would be sitting EIGHT total players (yes, you read that right) for their game against Indiana later that evening. Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Nic Claxton, Joe Harris, Royce O’Neale, and TJ Warren will all be held out.
Irving (left adductor tightness) and Claxton (right hamstring tightness) were the only players listed with standalone injuries. O’Neale was listed as out for “personal reasons” while every other player on the injury report was given the “injury management” designation.
Full injury report for tonight #Nets VS #Raptors game 😬
– Nic Claxton
– Seth Curry
– Kevin Durant
– Joe Harris
– Kyrie Irving
– Royce O'Neale
– Ben Simmons
– TJ Warren pic.twitter.com/bYoirY3Fjx— Hoops on 𝕏 (@Digits3Hoops) December 10, 2022
Nets beat reporter Erik Slater characterizes the move as the Nets “resting” all eight players.
The decision is understandable to some extent since it is the second end of a back-to-back set and since Brooklyn’s key players have been logging some heavy minutes lately. But it is rare to see a team resting their full and entire rotation (all five starters and three top bench players), which is essentially what the Nets are doing here.
Despite plenty of recent drama, Brooklyn has won six of their last seven games and now clock in at 15-12 on the season (fourth in the East). Clearly, they are hoping to maximize the time off between Saturday’s game against Indiana and their next game on Monday against the Washington Wizards.
