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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Nets big man LaMarcus Aldridge missed Tuesday’s game against the Hornets with a hip injury, and won’t play Thursday in Philadelphia. The question is just how much longer Brooklyn will be without its veteran center.
“Yeah LaMarcus is going to miss this trip, and then we’ll see,” coach Steve Nash said. “But that’s all I know for sure is he will not be here [against the Hornets] or in Philly.”
Aldridge suffered a right hip impingement in Sunday’s loss at Boston. Instead of traveling with the Nets, he returned to New York to be examined and had an MRI. The results saw him ruled out the rest of the trip, though no other timeline was given.
“He’s gone home. MRI, treatment, and we’ll go from there. There’s still a part of it they’re still assessing, but all I can say is he won’t join on this trip,” Nash said. “He’s gone home and had it. So I thought it was overall pretty positive in the spectrum of diagnosis. So it’s a matter of them getting to the bottom of what his plan looks like to get back, which I don’t know yet.”
Aldridge missed roughly two weeks in December with COVID-19, and also sat out five straight games the next month with a foot injury and seven straight with an ankle sprain suffered in Golden State on Jan. 29.
With Aldridge out, starter Andre Drummond could be in line for more minutes.
After averaging a double-double (11.2 points, 11.0 rebounds) in 22.8 minutes through his first five appearances after his trade deadline arrival, Drummond has seen his minutes scaled back. He’s averaged just 17.4 with a DNP in his past four games, but said he’s more than capable of handling extended playing time.
“It’s nothing that I’m not prepared for,” Drummond said. “[Aldridge] got pretty banged up in that Boston game, so it was best for him to rest up and take care of himself. We have a long season ahead of us, and big things to accomplish. So his body’s most important. So you know, me, I’m ready to do it. And I take on the challenge.”
Nic Claxton and Blake Griffin appear in line to get more minutes while Aldridge is out. Brooklyn opted not to call up rookie first-round pick Day’Ron Sharpe for Tuesday’s game, though it’s still on the table going forward.
“We did talk about it a little bit, but not for [Charlotte],” Nash said. “We’re still discussing it. We just spoke about it in the coaches meeting. Possible for Philly.”
Sharpe hasn’t played since Feb. 28. He was a DNP in Toronto and against Miami, and was inactive Sunday in Boston, sent to play with G-League Long Island.
Rookie Cam Thomas was upgraded to available after having been questionable with a back contusion suffered in Boston.
“Yeah, he’s cleared to play,” Nash had said. “So I don’t know if that’s flying on all cylinders, but safe to return and available.”
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