NBA

Lopez to sit out again for rudderless Nets

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Nets center Brook Lopez will sit out his third straight game Wednesday night against the Bobcats.

Lopez hasn’t played since spraining his left ankle in Friday’s 100-98 overtime win over the Suns in Phoenix. Nets coach Jason Kidd had said following Tuesday’s practice Lopez’s status would be determined following Wednesday’s morning shootaround.

“I don’t know how long it’s going to be, that’s not up to me,” Lopez said Tuesday. “I feel good. I feel like I could play. I’m not the one calling the shots there. We’ve got to think about long-term.”

Reggie Evans was expected to get a third straight start in Lopez’s place.

Andrei Kirilenko, who has missed the past four games with back spasms, also will sit out Wednesday night, though he did accompany the team on their trip this week after staying home for last week’s West Coast trip.

Jason Terry was listed as a game-time decision with a sore left knee – the same knee on which he had arthroscopic surgery during the offseason — and Deron Williams was slated to make his return to the starting lineup after sitting out the previous two games with a sprained left ankle he suffered early in the first quarter Friday in Phoenix.

The Nets are 3-7, losers of five of their past six.