SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Nets were already going to be without Dorian Finney-Smith and Ben Simmons on Monday at Golden State. But now both Dennis Schroder and Noah Clowney are in doubt, too.
Schroder missed Sunday’s win in Sacramento with right ankle soreness, while Clowney rolled his left ankle in the fourth quarter.
He had to be helped off the floor with six minutes left, and in the postgame locker room was being helped to the training room by Day’Ron Sharpe.
Still, he was at least buoyed by having avoided anything catastrophic.
“I think things are looking well. So I don’t know time or nothing like that, but it could be worse and it ain’t worse. So I’m happy,” said Clowney, who had 18 points on 5-for-8 shooting from deep and solid defense on Kings star Domantas Sabonis.
Schroder hopes to at least test his ankle out before Monday’s Warriors game.
“I don’t know yet. But it’s hurting though. So I’ve got to see,” Schroder said. “But I want to try it for sure. I’m gonna go. I’m going to see how it is [Monday] when I shoot. And then yeah, make the decision from there.”
Schroder said the injury occurred Friday in Philadelphia, but was unsure on what play.
“I don’t know what happened. After the game I was like OK. And then the day after was so sore. And then it got better after that. So I was thinking about playing [Sunday], but yeah, I might rest because it’s back-to-back, too. Probably go [Monday], and then take a day off and play against Phoenix. But I’m gonna see how it feels. But it’s nothing to worry about.”
Meanwhile, Finney-Smith was held out with a left ankle sprain. Brooklyn will also hold him out against the Warriors, as well as Simmons, who isn’t cleared to play both ends of back-to-backs.
“Yeah, so it’s back with the ankle issue, which is … again, we’re going to do what’s best for his body and for him,” coach Jordi Fernandez said of Finney-Smith. “He’s almost a guy that you have to tell him, ‘Hey, I’m telling you that you’re out,’ because otherwise, he’ll play through everything. That’s who he is.
“He’s another one of our leaders, tough, competitive, that’s why we are who we are. And right now, he’ll be out for these two games, and then we’ll reevaluate where he’s at. Again, we’re not going to force anything. For me, it’s not a major issue, but we also want him to feel good and play without pain.”
If Schroder can’t play, that could leave more point guard duties for Shake Milton and Trendon Watford.
Brooklyn posted a 44-9 advantage in bench points in the victory.
Fernandez has won 13 of 20 Coach’s Challenges, both the most in the league.
Cam Johnson missed a free throw in the third quarter, snapping a string of 32 straight makes.
Bojan Bogdanovic and Day’Ron Sharpe were out hurt, while Jaylen Martin, Jacky Cui and Dariq Whitehead were playing for G League Long Island. Martin suffered a knee injury, but the severity isn’t known yet.
