Vaughn juggling lineups amid injuries
BOSTON — The Nets’ lineup has been a seasonlong game of musical chairs. Or make that medical chairs.
Coach Jacque Vaughn has dealt with constant absences since the start of training camp, starters going on and off the injury report.
Friday’s 121-107 loss in Boston marked the Nets’ ninth game of the season, with starters Nic Claxton, Ben Simmons and Cam Johnson having missed a combined 18 games already. And with Johnson back on the court, scoring 11 points on 4-for-13 shooting against the Celtics, now leading scorer Cam Thomas will miss the next couple of weeks.
“Yeah, it’s a credit to JV and the coaching staff. He’s been able to plug-and-play, throw guys in and out of the lineup and keep the mojo going,” Spencer Dinwiddie said. “We’re fortunate enough to be able to weather the storm right now, and it’s going to be great when we actually get everybody healthy.”
That could be awhile, with Thomas having sprained his ankle in Wednesday’s win over the Clippers and not due to even be reassessed for two weeks.
It’s dizzying for other teams to scout, or even Nets fans to keep track of.
Here is a primer for where they stand as of right now:
Johnson missed the preseason, then strained his left calf on opening night. After missing the next seven games, he returned Friday at TD Garden.
Of the trio of sidelined starters, Thomas is by far the furthest from returning.
Claxton also hasn’t played since spraining his ankle in the opener, missing his eighth straight. But he’s clearly making strides and was going 3-on-3 with backup big man Harry Giles III and Nets coaches at Friday morning’s shootaround, cutting, moving laterally and playing live defense.
Simmons sat out a second straight with left hip soreness, both after initially being listed as questionable only to be downgraded in the hours before tip-off. While pain radiating down hips is often a product of back injuries, both Vaughn and separate source said this is a result of a play in the Nov. 4 Milwaukee game and not related to the herniated disks and nerve impingements Simmons had.