Brooklyn Nets DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Brooklyn Nets center Nicolas Claxton (rest) will skip Saturday's contest against the Boston Celtics. The team plans to rest him for the first leg of a back-to-back. It's safe to assume Claxton will be reinserted in the lineup for Sunday's matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. Noah Clowney (ankle) and Trendon Watford (hamstring) also won't feature on Saturday, leaving Day'Ron Sharpe as Brooklyn's only real option at center. Sharpe is likely to log his second start of the campaign. He went into beast mode in his first start, racking up 25 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, three blocks, and two steals in a 129-121 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Feb. 26.

Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Cam Thomas (hamstring) will not be in the lineup on Saturday against the Boston Celtics. Brooklyn will give the talented scorer some time off to manage a hamstring injury as the team begins a back-to-back set. Thomas is likely to return to action on Sunday against the Atlanta Hawks. Keon Johnson stepped in for Thomas in the starting unit Monday night against the Los Angeles Lakers and may receive another start on Saturday. Tyrese Martin will likely also see more action with Thomas on the shelf.

Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell has reportedly told those close to him that he would prefer to stay in Brooklyn after this season, according to the New York Post. Russell hasn't quite been the same player he was in seasons past, averaging just 13.7 points in his 18 games as a Net compared to his 18.0 PPG as a Laker last season. Brooklyn will look to see how well Russell pairs with fellow guard Cam Thomas in the starting lineup before assessing what their needs are. Russell and Thomas have only played together for one game thanks to injury issues for both guards. Fantasy managers in dynasty leagues should keep an eye on Brooklyn's upcoming plans, as both Russell and Thomas would likely benefit with additional usage and playing time in Brooklyn.

Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Cam Thomas (hamstring) will be back on the court Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers. The team has removed him from the injury report ahead of the game. Thomas last saw action on Jan. 2, missing 24 games due to a hamstring injury. Before going down, Thomas enjoyed a big start to the season, averaging a career-high 24.7 points. He will immediately become Brooklyn's top scoring option again, though the team might monitor Thomas' workload following his extended layoff. Keon Johnson and Tyrese Martin will likely have to settle for lesser roles in the rotation now that Thomas is back.

Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (back) is questionable for Wednesday's game versus the visiting Thunder. He had 17 points in Monday's loss to the Washington Wizards. Unfortunately, after appearing in the Nets' last seven games, Johnson may miss his first game since February 4. Brooklyn also won't have D'Angelo Russell (ankle) and Nicolas Claxton (suspension), so Ziaire Williams, Tyrese Martin, Trendon Watford, and Keon Johnson could all receive more scoring chances if Johnson can't suit up.