Things are not looking good for the Nets. They started the second half of their season with a blowout loss against the Cavaliers on Thursday. And they are currently stuck as the twelfth seed in the East standings. However, they hope to turn things around by getting a win tonight as they face the Sixers. Well, that could prove to be a difficult challenge as the Brooklyn franchise will play without their star, D’Angelo Russell.

Yes, D’Lo will not suit up tonight. The reason? A right ankle sprain that he suffered during Thursday’s Cavs clash. Well, he got injured in the third quarter of that game as he tweaked his ankle during a drive to the basket. He left the floor after playing only seventeen minutes, ending the night with 3 points and five assists. Moreover, D’Angelo was having a terrible shooting night even before the injury, as he shot 1 of 7 from the field.

Turns out, Russell will also miss Monday’s game against the Wizards because of his hurt ankle and will be reevaluated following that game. That means the earliest he could return to the lineup is on Wednesday against the Thunder.

Sure enough, him being sidelined is a massive blow to the team because D’Lo has been in solid form since the trade, averaging 13.8 points and nearly six assists. In his absence for two games, Killian Hayes and Keon Johnson are likely to see a significant increase in minutes to take over guard duty. But Russell will still be missed because of what he brings to the table.

His availability would have helped the Nets face the lethal trio of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey. D’Lo was a solid head-to-head matchup for Maxey, but with Hayes coming in as the starting point guard, Maxey could dominate on offense. That’s because Killian is far less experienced and has played only one game this season after inking a ten-day contract with the Nets earlier this week. Tonight is his first start for the team, which puts him under immense pressure.

Nets teammate praises D’Angelo Russell’s ‘veteran leadership’ and reveals thoughts on his injury

After Russell left the game on Thursday, the Cavs took advantage of the situation and sparked a 28-11 run in their favor. That just proves how important D’Lo has become for the Nets to stay productive. His running mate, Cam Johnson, even talked about his impact after the tough loss: “Veteran leader of this team kinda keeps things calm and centered… For him to go down, it’s tough.”

Sure, it has not been long since D’Lo got traded to the Brooklyn franchise. But he is already one of their most experienced players because of his tenure with the Lakers. While he did not have a good showing in LA this season, Russell helped them reach the West finals two years ago and was a key part of their rotation. And his veteran leadership could help the Nets’ young stars develop their game and learn playoff basketball.

Cam also addressed why his team crumbled against the Cavs after D’Lo left: “I think we got capable guys across the board, I don’t think it still should have gotten out of hand, but sometimes it happens.” Based on their current situation, it is unlikely that the Nets will be able to make a playoff push this late in the season. And now that Russell is injured, the chances of that happening are even more bleak.