The Brooklyn Nets received some positive news on the injury front ahead of Tuesday’s Game 5 versus the Milwaukee Bucks in the second-round playoff series tied 2-2 when they learned guard James Harden is going to try to play through the strained hamstring that has kept him sidelined since June 5.
However, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported later on Tuesday that the Nets are preparing to be without fellow star guard Kyrie Irving for the rest of the series because of the sprained right ankle he suffered in the second quarter of Sunday’s Game 4. Irving was officially ruled out for at least Game 5 on Monday, and head coach Steve Nash previously said he didn’t know about Irving’s status beyond Tuesday evening.
Game 6 between the Nets and Bucks will take place Thursday night in Milwaukee.
Game 5 technically is not “must win” for either team with the series deadlocked, but Brooklyn earning a victory on Tuesday would give Nash the option of sitting Irving and/or Harden on Thursday knowing Game 7 is Saturday night at Barclays Center.
