Nets Get Key Piece Back Ahead of Spurs Game

On Tuesday night, the Brooklyn Nets are set to take on the San Antonio Spurs, as they look to bounce back off of a tough defeat on Saturday night.

With their loss to the Detroit Pistons, the Nets slinked back down to the 12th seed in the Eastern Conference, as the Philadelphia 76ers took down the Golden State Warriors, which sent them up a spot to sit right outside of the Play-In Tournament.

With the stakes of every game being this high, it’s imperative for Brooklyn to perform at their best, which is set to be made easier on Tuesday night as they’re set to welcome back a key figure of their roster: D’Angelo Russell.

Russell, who has been out since mid-February due to a right ankle sprain, has cleared the Nets’ injury report heading into Wednesday, meaning he is expected to make an appearance.

Prior to his injury, Russell had been an important part of Jordi Fernandez’s offensive strategy, averaging 14 points and five assists since making his return to the Barclays Center in late December.

Russell’s return to Brooklyn came at an important time, as it happened right before Cam Thomas returned to the bench due to a strained left hamstring, meaning the nine-year veteran had much more of an important role to play in keeping his team afloat.

While Russell’s return may be a big storyline to follow on Tuesday night, his partnership with Thomas will be another one to keep an eye on as they’ve only shared the court for one game since the trade occurred, combining for 10 points and four assists, meaning they have a ways to go when it comes to developing an on court chemistry.

The pairing will have the opportunity to improve this partnership against a shaky San Antonio defense, who are currently tied with the Nets when it comes to defensive rating, with both teams sitting at 114.7.

Pair this with the absence of former Rookie of the Year Victor Wenbanyama, who will miss the rest of the season due to a blood clot; it means that both players won’t be just limited to shooting at the perimeter, as they will get a better chance at testing their interior game.

The Nets take on the Spurs on Tuesday night, with tip-off slated for 8:30 p.m. EST.

Want to join the discussion? Like Nets on SI on Facebook andfollow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Nets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.