Two teams engulfed in challenging losing slides will meet when the Portland Trail Blazers host the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday.
The Nets slumped to their fifth successive defeat with a 112-111 loss at Utah on Sunday — a game that was sealed when the Jazz’s Isaiah Collier drove for the go-ahead layup with 2.4 seconds remaining in overtime.
Brooklyn coach Jordi Fernandez was heartened with what his team produced, though, after the Nets’ previous four losses were all by double digits.
“Effort, resiliency … finally connecting in the fourth quarter,” Fernandez said. “Happy with that run at the end. We were just not good enough, and that’s what happens in the NBA.”
Cam Thomas (hamstring), Cameron Johnson (ankle) and D’Angelo Russell (shin) were all sidelined for Brooklyn on Sunday. Thomas is listed as out for the Portland game, while Johnson and Russell are questionable.
Brooklyn’s Tosan Evbuomwan impressed against Utah with a career-high 22 points, while Ben Simmons produced one of his better all-round games of the season with 14 points, nine assists and six rebounds.
Fernandez praised Simmons’ improved attitude.
“We need this type of Ben,” Fernandez said. “Aggressive, trying to score, very efficient.
“What I liked the most was him engaging with his teammates, talking to his teammates, telling them what to do, and that was very good.”
Despite his solid performance, Simmons cut a frustrated figure postgame, seemingly expressing a level of frustration with the franchise’s focus on improving lottery odds over racking up wins.
“I know this is kind of like a rebuild situation,” the outspoken Australian said, who is listed as questionable for Tuesday due to a sore back and knee. “But we’ve got to go in there like we want to win, regardless of what the front office is expecting.”
Portland’s overall record is near-identical to Brooklyn’s, but the Trail Blazers’ present mire doesn’t seem nearly as deep, even if their casualty ward is.
Portland’s losing streak stands at two, as the Trail Blazers followed a road defeat against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday with a 119-98 setback against the visiting Miami Heat on Saturday.
Anfernee Simons scored 28 points and Shaedon Sharpe added 22 against the Heat in a game of extreme momentum fluctuations that ultimately was settled when the Blazers were held to 15 points in the fourth quarter.
Portland has injury concerns of its own, particularly in the big-man department. Starting center Deandre Ayton missed the Miami clash due to left calf soreness, and his backup, Robert Williams III, sat out with an illness.
Forward Jerami Grant is set to miss his eighth straight game with a facial contusion, while Deni Avdija (right ankle sprain) and Dalano Banton (illness) are both listed as questionable.
“I suspect that DA will be fine,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “(Williams isn’t feeling) like I thought he would. He wasn’t feeling great (Monday). Not (a chance) at all.
“(Grant) is ramping up. He did some things (Monday) out here, but when we went live, he didn’t. So nothing really new to report.”
