The Kevin Durant-led Brooklyn Nets will be facing the Indiana Pacers tonight. These are two teams competing for a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. However, Brooklyn appears to be highly shorthanded for his matchup.
Therefore, this match against Myles Turner, Tyrese Haliburton, and the Pacers might prove challenging. Nets coach Jacque Vaughn will have to make do with what he’s got and try to collect another win for his team.
That said, we should certainly be wondering which players are expected to miss this game. That will help us have an idea of the expected rosters and predictions for this game.
Will Kyrie Irving play tonight against the Pacers?
It turns out that Kyrie Irving will not be the only player to miss this game. Kevin Durant, Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Nic Claxton, and several others are expected to miss this game.
Nets players out tonight vs. Pacers: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Nic Claxton, Seth Curry, Ben Simmons, TJ Warren, Royce O’Neale, Joe Harris.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 10, 2022
As a result, one could even say that this is the weakest the Nets have ever been ever since acquiring Durant. He is listed out due to left knee injury management. On the other hand, Irving is not expected to play in this game due to left adductor tightness.
The Nets say Kevin Durant (left knee injury management) and Kyrie Irving (left adductor tightness) are among eight players out tonight at Indiana.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 10, 2022
The Pacers will not prove to be an easy opponent. They currently hold a record of 14 wins and 12 losses, just one win less than the Brooklyn Nets. As the Pacers look to even things up here are the complete injury reports and expected rosters for both sides.
Brooklyn Nets injury report
- Kyrie Irving
- Ben Simmons
- Kevin Durant
- Seth Curry
- Joe Harris
- Nic Claxton
- TJ Warren
- Royce O’Neale
- Yuta Watanabe
Brooklyn Nets expected roster
- Patty Mills
- Cam Thomas
- Edmond Sumner
- Alondes Williams
- Kessler Edwards
Indiana Pacers injury report
- Isiah Jackson
- Chris Duarte
- Daniel Theis
Indiana Pacers expected roster
- Tyrese Haliburton
- Buddy Hield
- Myles Turner
- Bennedict Mathurin
- Jalen Smith
As we can tell, Patty Mills is the only known player available for this game against the healthy Pacers. This will be an opportunity for the remaining players on the Nets to show that they are NBA level. Finally, let us take a look at the expert predictions for this game.
The Pacers will be heavily favored over the weakened Brooklyn Nets
Heavily favored might just be an understatement here. It would startle the NBA world if Myles, Buddy, and Tyrese ended up losing to Cam Thomas, Edmond Sumner, and Kessler Edwards. Therefore, it would be shocking if they let this easy win get away from them.
Tonight they will be renamed the Brooklyn Rims
— Kevin (Prime Time Fanatic) (@_Kevlar23_) December 10, 2022
Additionally, this game will test Jacque Vaughn’s credibility as a coach. On one hand, we know that star talent wins games in this league. On the other, good coaching can make it a close game, where anything can happen.
The weakened Nets will be hoping to pull out a win against the healthy Pacers. That is certainly not likely or probable. However, this is the NBA and underdogs can always disprove the oddsmakers.