Things may have gone from bad to worse for the Nets.
Not only did they drop their fifth straight game last night, losing 108-94 to the Pacers at the Prudential Center in Newark, but they may have lost Kris Humphries for an extended period of time, as well, with an undisclosed injury to his left shoulder.
Humphries landed hard on the shoulder during Sunday’s 98-82 loss in Cleveland, but played the rest of the game and showed no ill effects afterwards, including not using any ice. But that all changed yesterday, when he woke up and couldn’t lift his left arm. He sat out of last night’s game, and will get an MRI exam today.
“We’ll take a look at him [today], and hopefully we’ll get some good news,” coach Avery Johnson said after last night’s game. “It’s not looking good right now, because he can barely move his shoulder.
“We’ll have to hope and pray that it’s nothing serious.”
Johnson added that he didn’t anticipate Humphries would make the trip with the team to Boston for tomorrow night’s game.
After a bizarre offseason, including his marriage and subsequent divorce from reality-television star Kim Kardashian, Humphries had gotten off to a great start this season after re-signing with the Nets shortly before the season began. Through the first five games, he averaged 12.4 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.
Shelden Williams started in place of Humphries, and finished with two points, six rebounds, two assists and three blocked shots in 22:30.
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When Deron Williams landed hard and writhed on the ground in pain midway through the second quarter, Avery Johnson feared for the worst.
“You saw me on one knee, right?” the coach said, laughing. “That’ll tell you right there.”
Luckily for the Nets, Williams wasn’t seriously injured, and played the rest of the game, finishing with 20 points, eight assists, two steals and a blocked shot. X-rays were negative.
“I felt that I was shooting the ball well, [and] getting the looks that I want to,” Williams said. “I got a couple more easy baskets, but as long as we are losing I am not doing enough.”
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After spending the last several weeks sidelined following a bout with dehydration early in training camp, rookie forward Jordan Williams finally was able to make his Nets debut. Active for the first time, he got on the court for the final 2:51 in last night’s loss.
“Besides not winning, it was a dream come true,” Williams said. “I’ve been waiting my whole life to be an NBA forward, and to play against the best.”
Williams, who played at Maryland, was the Nets’ second-round pick.
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In back-to-back games, the Nets have been riddled for 29-of-47 (.617) 3-point shooting. Guess what? The Nets are last in 3-point defense (.487). Nets shot 7-of-28 beyond the arc last night . . . Amid the DeMarcus Cousins soap opera out in Sacramento were reports Nets are interested. Moot point, sources said. Kings are not trading him. Plus, two drafts ago, Nets did extensive research on Cousins, whom they determined to be more NBA ready than Derrick Favors. And then the Nets drafted Favors . . . Jordan Farmar entered in fourth quarter after not playing two previous games. Played 9:44 . . . Sundiata Gaines started a third straight game, scored 12 points . . . David West added 13 points, 5 rebounds for Indy . . . Justin Tuck, at courtside, got the biggest hand of the night after MarShon Brooks . . .Nets’ bench had three assists — two by Johan Petro . . . Brook Lopez, on crutches, is due to get the stitches out of his foot sometime next week. A screw was inserted for his broken fifth metatarsal.