Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Brooklyn Nets - News - February 08, 2024 | FOX Sports

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・February 9, 2024 February 09 Feb 09

Cavaliers lead wire-to-wire, roll over Nets

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Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY

Keita Bates-Diop - Slated to debut SaturdayBates-Diop (recently traded) will be available for Saturday's game against the Spurs, NBA writer Billy Reinhardt reports.

ImpactBates-Diop wasn't able to make his team debut Thursday since his trade was still pending, but he's been cleared to suit up a few days later. He saw inconsistent playing time to close out his time in Phoenix, so it's unclear how many minutes he'll garner off the bench with the Nets.

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Dennis Schroder - To make team debut SaturdaySchroder (recently traded) is available for Saturday's game against the Spurs, NBA writer Billy Reinhardt reports.

ImpactSchroder didn't make his team debut Thursday since his trade was still pending, but he'll be able to don a Nets uniform during Saturday's matchup. He'll likely take on a starting role after Spencer Dinwiddie was traded to the Raptors, although it's also possible that Brooklyn tries to deploy Ben Simmons at point guard.

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Lonnie Walker IV - Expected to play SaturdayWalker (hamstring) is listed as probable for Friday's game versus the Spurs, NBA insider Billy Reinhardt of reports.

ImpactWalker is expected to return to action Friday after missing the previous two contests with a hamstring injury. With the Nets trading away Spencer Dinwiddie and Dennis Schroder's (trade pending) status unclear, Walker could receive increased minutes against San Antonio if he's upgraded to available.

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Dorian Finney-Smith - Set to return SaturdayFinney-Smith (ankle) isn't on the injury report for Saturday's game against the Spurs, Evan Barnes of Newsday reports.

ImpactFinney-Smith missed the last six games due to an ankle injury, but he'll be back in action during Saturday's matchup. It's unclear whether he'll face any restrictions following his multi-game absence. Over his last five appearances, he's averaged 7.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 31.8 minutes per game.

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Trendon Watford - Strong performance off benchWatford closed with 15 points (5-13 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 5-5 FT), six rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 26 minutes during Thursday's 118-95 loss to Cleveland.

ImpactWatford doesn't have a big role off the bench for the Nets, but he was trusted into a more prominent workload here, and he delivered by posting one of his best scoring marks of the campaign. It was just the second time he reached the 15-point plateau, and while he might see decent minutes off the bench going forward, he doesn't contribute enough to be a valuable asset in most fantasy formats outside of extremely deep leagues.

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Mikal Bridges - Keeps hot streak alive ThursdayBridges registered 26 points (10-23 FG, 5-13 3Pt, 1-2 FT), three rebounds and five assists over 35 minutes during Thursday's 118-95 loss to the Cavaliers.

ImpactBridges surpassed the 20-point mark for the fifth time over his last six appearances, and that scoring prowess should be sustainable over the long term, given the roster moves the Nets made before the trade deadline Thursday. Bridges is having a career-best season in 2023-24, averaging 21.9 points per game while shooting 45.4 percent from the field. Bridges can also deliver decent contributions in the rebounding and passing categories, but most of his fantasy value is tied to his scoring ability.

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Cam Thomas - Poor shooting displayThomas ended Thursday's 118-95 loss to Cleveland with 17 points (6-18 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 3-3 FT), four rebounds and one assist in 30 minutes.

ImpactThomas continues to produce in a starting role, and even though his shooting numbers were inefficient, he remains a capable scorer who's valuable in fantasy due to his scoring prowess. Since returning to the starting lineup eight games ago, Thomas is averaging 25.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 41 percent from deep.

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