For the first time in three weeks, Nets guard Cam Thomas has a chance of playing, however small.
Thomas is listed as doubtful for Tuesday’s NBA In-Season Tournament tilt against Toronto with a left ankle sprain.
Brooklyn’s leading scorer hasn’t played since Nov. 8, missing the last eight games.
Last week the Nets and coach Jacque Vaughn expressed hope that Thomas could return to team activities this week.
With no official practices on the schedule, finding opportunities will be difficult.
Still, the injury list update bodes well for Brooklyn.
Thomas’ team-leading 26.9 points would be ninth in the league if he qualified, and his offensive punch will be a welcomed addition whenever he does return.
Starting power forward Cam Johnson was forced out of Sunday’s win over Chicago with right leg cramping, the second game he’s left early this season due to such.
He’s listed as probable.
Nic Claxton is questionable with a left ankle sprain that sidelined him against the Bulls.
The starting center could return after missing just a single game.
That’s a welcome development after Claxton missed eight straight games this season with a sprain in the same ankle suffered on opening night.
“He kind of tweaked that ankle again,” Vaughn said. “It’s the same one.”
This reoccurrence happened with 1:09 left in the first quarter Saturday against Miami.
He eventually returned in the second quarter and finished the game with 13 points, six rebounds and three blocks.
“Yeah, I mean JV’s been preaching depth since the beginning. We have a bunch of guys. You know, we still got CT [Thomas] out. Cam [Johnson] left the game kind of early,” Spencer Dinwiddie said. “But just across the board … we’ve got a bunch of guys that can really play well and be impactful. And we’re looking forward to being in full health.”
The Nets are slowly getting closer.
Backup point guard Dennis Smith Jr. has been upgraded to questionable with a lower-back sprain after sitting out the past four games.
Ben Simmons is still out with a nerve impingement in his left lower back.
Nets come into Tuesday’s game 8-8 having played one of the hardest schedules in the league, and 34 missed games combined from Claxton, Johnson, Simmons and Thomas.
Gradey Dick (G-League), Javon Freeman-Liberty (G-League), Ron Harper Jr. (G-League), Christian Koloko (injury/illness — respiratory issue) and Markquis Nowell (G-League) have all been ruled out for Toronto.
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