Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets WireSun, March 1, 2026 at 12:37 AM UTC·2 min readThe Brooklyn Nets have been unable to win a game since coming back from the All-Star break as they have been dealing with a tough schedule during the unofficial second half of the season. Brooklyn has been giving solid effort for the most part, but they haven't able to sustain their effort. Now, the Nets could be dealing with some injuries along the way.
The Nets announced on Saturday that rookie guard Egor Demin is out for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to left plantar fascia injury management. Demin seemed like he overcame whatever injury issue he was dealing with since the summer given that he played in both games of Brooklyn's two back-to-back sets coming out of the All-Star break, but there could be a possibility of the team trying to reset his clock, so to speak.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDemin, who turns 20 years old on Mar. 3, has been struggling mightily since returning from the All-Star break as he's averaging just 6.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 32.6% from the field and 27.6% from three-point land. With Demin out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cavaliers, that could mean that someone like veteran Terance Mann could slide into the starting five.
Moving on with the Nets' injury report, the team also listed center Nic Claxton as questionable due to a right thumb sprain. Claxton has been playing through a right thumb injury since even before the All-Star break, but it seems that he has been taking too many hits to that injured thumb and may need some time off to let it heal. If Claxton is unable to play, backup center Day'Ron Sharpe will likely step into the starting lineup as the center.
Lastly, rookie forward Drake Powell is out for Sunday's game against Cleveland as he remains on his G League assignment with the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn's G League affiliate. Forwards Josh Minott and Grant Nelson recently made their debut for Brooklyn so it is possible that they could once again see the floor on Sunday against the Cavaliers, given some potential absences.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets rookie Egor Demin (plantar fascia) out Sunday vs. Cavaliers
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