Ziaire Williams ‘Hopefully’ Set to Play vs. Rockets After Hard Fall

On Sunday, left without Haywood Highsmith (knee) and Drake Powell (ankle), Ziaire Williams and Terance Mann were the Brooklyn Nets' best available perimeter defenders. Unfortunately for the rebuilding squad, the injuries continue to pile up, as Mann could potentially be the lone member of the foursome to play in tonight's matchup with the Rockets in Houston.

Williams exited the 118-107 loss to Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs with a lower back contusion after a hard fall. He played just 13 minutes, producing five points and one rebound in the limited action.

The 24-year-old remains optimistic, however, that he'll be able to contribute against Houston, who, like Brooklyn, is seeking its first win of the 2025-26 campaign.

“Yeah, tough fall. I wish I could get that play back. There’s nothing I could do about it now, so I’ll just recover and be ready for [Monday],” Williams told Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “No. I’ve got to talk to the medical staff, but…hopefully they’ll get me right in getting back out there."

While Williams' night was cut short, his previous performance proved his value. In Friday's 131-124 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Williams exploded for 25 points and two rebounds off the bench. If the Nets hope to knock off the Rockets', the scrappy wing's health will be key.

“Yeah, it definitely hurt. I would never leave the game if I could play. It just got real tight. I couldn’t really move out there. So I’ve just got to go over it with the medical staff," Williams continued. "They’re already going over a game plan for me. I’ve already iced and started my recovery now. So hopefully, with this early game and some recovery and I get back to hotel, hopefully, I’ll bounce back.”

An "out" designation for Williams would leave Brooklyn quite thin at forward, especially defensively, against one of the most talented offensive attacks league-wide. Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun are averaging a combined 58 points per game through two games, while Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. are contributing 14 and 13.5 points, respectively.

Should Williams sit, Mann will likely have his hands full, as a matchup with Durant could loom. Given how dangerous Cam Thomas (29.3 ppg) and Michael Porter Jr. (19.7 ppg) have been offensively, fans could be in for an exciting, back-and-forth shootout when the tilt gets underway at 8 p.m. EST.