SALT LAKE CITY — The Nets appear to have erred on the side of caution when it comes to injuries to Cam Johnson and D'Angelo Russell.
As expected, both will remain sidelined on Sunday when the Nets play the Jazz, as will Cam Thomas.
Johnson will miss the fifth consecutive game due to a sprain in his right ankle that he suffered in the final seconds of his victory on January 2 in Milwaukee.
The Nets have not won since their fall, losing four times in a row by a total of 77 points.
Russell will sit out for the fourth straight time due to a bruise on his right leg.
The Nets have shown at least moderate confidence that Johnson will play in this six-game Western Conference road stretch.
But top scorer Thomas and Trendon Watford have been ruled out with left hamstring strains until they return to Brooklyn.
“Cam Johnson and D-Lo are working every day. So it looks good. They're working and that's where we are right now,” coach Jordi Fernandez said. “Trendon is working and probably won't play on this trip.”
Darick Whitehead is questionable for Sunday.
The second-year winger is in concussion protocol after taking a shot to the head in a recent NL game with Long Island.
Bojan Bogdanovic (recovering from left foot injury), Maxwell Lewis (fractured left leg), and De'Anthony Milton (torn anterior cruciate ligament in left knee) are all out, along with Thomas and Watford.
The Nets will be in Los Angeles this week, where they are scheduled to face the Clippers on Wednesday and the Lakers on Friday.
This assumes that the horrific wildfires sweeping through the region do not continue to wreak further havoc on the timeline.
The fires in Palisades, Eaton and Hearst have already displaced nearly 200,000 people and killed at least 11 people.
Ziaire Williams, who was born in Lancaster (California) and went to Sierra Canyon High School, said he survived a personal tragedy.
“My house is safe, my family is safe,” Williams told the newspaper. “So this is definitely a blessing.
“[The fires] Spread. There is fire to our west and fire to our south. Los Angeles is very big, so it's very spread out. But yes, fortunately, my house is safe. A couple of my friends lost their homes, but these things can be replaced. “I'm glad everyone is safe and staying away.”
Forward Toussaint Ifeboomwan followed up his 13-point, seven-rebound game against Detroit with 10 points against the Nuggets.
He shot 2 of 5 from 3-point range and looked comfortable and confident in just his fourth game with the Nets.
“It feels like more honestly. The guys did a great job of making me aware of everything. It gave me confidence, encouraged me, and things like that,” Ifeboomwan said. “They make it easy by learning the plays and things like that. They've been very diligent about it since I've been here, but yeah it's been great.
Ifeboomwan scored 22:29 on Friday, and Fernandes was happy enough with the minutes he played that he suggested there could be more to come if the 23-year-old continues to play well.
