The Nets continued to be without Gerald Wallace and MarShon Brooks for last night’s game against the Cavaliers at Barclays Center.
But, more importantly, they could be missing both of them again tomorrow for their early-season showdown in Brooklyn against the Celtics, as well.
Wallace and Brooks, both nursing sprained left ankles, were held out of last night’s game, as expected, after Wallace was limited in Monday’s practice and Brooks didn’t practice at all. Both were on the court for yesterday’s morning shootaround, and Nets coach Avery Johnson said both will practice today.
“Gerald’s not going to do much of anything, but that’s a part of his treatment and rehab schedule,” Johnson said. “So then we’ll get him back out there [today], and once we get him back out there tomorrow we’ll see how they recover [tomorrow].”
Johnson then said it was more likely both will return this weekend, meaning they will play Sunday in Sacramento against the Kings, before re-opening the possibility of them being available against the Celtics.
Wallace has been out for the past five games after spraining his ankle late in the Nets’ season-opening win over the Raptors, while Brooks has now missed three straight since spraining his ankle when he stepped on Andray Blatche’s ankle during Friday’s morning shootaround in Orlando.
* The NBA announced the ballots for the 2013 All-Star Game in Houston, and the Nets were well-represented.
Five Nets were among the 60 Eastern Conference players on the ballot, as the entire starting lineup of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Wallace, Kris Humphries and Brook Lopez was chosen to be eligible for voting from fans.
Williams is a three-time All-Star, including last season as a Net, while Johnson made the All-Star team each of the past six seasons as a member of the Hawks and Wallace made it in 2010 with the Bobcats.
Lopez’s chances of making the team took a hit because of a change in the voting rules this season. For the first time, instead of picking two guards, two forwards and a center, voting now consists of choosing two guards and three frontcourt players. Also new this year is the ability of fans to be able to vote through social media networks, including Facebook and Twitter.