Brooklyn Nets vs. New York Knicks: Injury Report

Nets Injuries:

OUT: Bojan Bogdanovic (foot), Maxwell Lewis (tibia), De'Anthony Melton (knee), Cam Thomas (hamstring), Trendon Watford (hamstring), Dariq Whitehead (G League), Ziaire Williams (ankle), Ben Simmons (illness)

PROBABLE: D'Angelo Russell (hamstring)

Knicks Injuries:

OUT: Kevin McCullar Jr. (Two-Way), Mitchell Robinson (ankle)

PROBABLE: Josh Hart (neck), Karl-Anthony Towns (thumb)

Well, here we are again.

The Brooklyn Nets return home from a six-game West Coast road trip for a much-anticipated crosstown battle at the Barclays Center with the New York Knicks.

After posting a 1-5 record on said road trip, Nets fans were hoping for some positive injury news ahead of the matchup with New York, of which there is some.

Cam Johnson carries no designation for the first time in quite a while, and D'Angelo Russell is "probable." Both will be key in any scenario where Brooklyn pulls out the win.

But then there's the negative injury news.

Ziaire Williams and Ben Simmons, two highly impactful pieces of Jordi Fernandez's rotation, will not suit up for the third meeting between the Nets and Knicks this season.

This is quite the blow for a team hungry to get back on track. Losing a top facilitator and perimeter defender ahead of tip-off certainly throws a kink in the gameplan.

However, New York is dealing with a couple issues itself.

Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns both carry "probable" designations, and while are both likely to play, either sitting would prevent a major advantage for Brooklyn. Especially, in this case, Towns.

Hart is an effort guy. He and Williams sitting are essentially a wash. But Towns has, at moments, been the best center in the NBA this season.

His absence would open up opportunities for Nic Claxton and Day'Ron Sharpe to do some work on the interior, as well as deplete the Knicks' pick-and-roll tandem of Towns and Jalen Brunson.

Obviously, the dream scenario would be if neither Hart nor Towns are cleared to play, forcing Brunson, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby to carry the bulk of New York's offensive attack.

That seems unlikely, but would clear an easier path to victory for the hosts.

Nets-Knicks is slated for 7:30 p.m. EST.

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