NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. has been available for the Nets for the majority of the games they’ve played this season, showing that he is more durable than he was early in his career. Brooklyn has been heavily relying on Porter to be the best player on the team, but he is out for Monday’s matchup against the Chicago Bulls due to right knee tendinitis.
Prior to Monday’s game against the Bulls, Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez described Porter as “day-to-day” with his tendinitis, potentially putting him back in the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Indiana Pacers. Fernandez mentioned that the tendinitis is in the same right knee in which he suffered a sprained MCL that has been bothering him recently, but that the injuries are “unrelated.”
To be clear, Fernandez was noncommittal on whether Porter would be available to play on Wednesday against the Pacers so Tuesday’s injury report will be important to monitor for that reason. Along with Porter, rookie Egor Demin was ruled out for Monday’s game against Chicago due to rest, but Fernandez added that the team is just giving him a break and that the rest isn’t related to an injury.
Porter, 27, is in the midst of an All-Star caliber season as he’s averaging 25.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 47.4% from the field and 38.5% from three-point land in 41 appearances. Demin, 19, is having a solid rookie campaign for the Nets with his averages of 10.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 40.7% from the floor and 39.5% from deep.
With Porter and Demin out of the lineup for Monday’s game against the Bulls, there could be a chance that Fernandez gives playing time to guard Ochai Agbaji and forward Josh Minott, two of Brooklyn’s trade acquisitions prior to last week’s deadline. It’s not guaranteed that either player will see the floor on Monday against Chicago, but there is at least an opportunity for that to happen due to Porter and Demin being out of the rotation.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. “day-to-day” with his right knee tendinitis