<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-nic-claxton-reveals-ultimate-2025-26-goal-after-letdown-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets’ Nic Claxton reveals ultimate 2025-26 goal after letdown season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Nic-Claxton.jpg"><figcaption>Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Nets’ Nic Claxton reveals ultimate 2025-26 goal after letdown season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-25T13:39:59-07:00">September 25th, 1:39pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-25T13:48:00-07:00">September 25th, 1:48pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Brooklyn Nets’ 2024-25 campaign featured many disappointments. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-nic-claxton-offseason-back-injury-bothers-him-after-humbling-season">Nic Claxton’s performance was near the top</a> of the list. Brooklyn’s starting center and longest-tenured player struggled while battling a back injury, which he said was still bothering him when the season concluded.</p><p>Following an offseason focused on getting healthy, the 26-year-old feels confident his rejuvenated body will allow him to make a greater impact.</p><p>“Y’all will see it,” Claxton said at Nets Media Day. “My back feels great. Just having a summer where I was able to really focus on myself, focus on getting stronger, it’s been really good… We all know last year was frustrating for the team, frustrating for myself. I didn’t perform how I wanted to. I really just flushed that out and focused back on the work. Just consistency, being in the gym every day, being with family, it was healing. I’m excited for this season… I feel really good, and I’m ready to get to it.”</p><p>Claxton emerged as one of the NBA’s top defenders during the 2022-23 season. The Georgia product <a href="https://www.teamrankings.com/nba/player-stat/steals-plus-blocks?season_id=220" rel="noopener">ranked third</a> in stocks (steals + blocks), averaging 3.3 per game, behind only Jaren Jackson Jr. and Anthony Davis. He also made significant strides offensively, leading the league in field goal percentage (70.5).</p><p>However, his impact has waned over the last two seasons, as the Nets have transitioned from a star-studded roster to a rebuild.</p><h2>Nic Claxton ready to bounce back with new-look Nets after letdown 2024-25 season</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Nic-Claxton1.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Claxton averaged 1.9 blocks per 36 minutes last season compared to 3.0 in 2022-23. His offensive efficiency plummeted, as he shot a career-low 56.3 percent from the field. The sixth-year center finished the season with a -9.3 net rating, the NBA’s worst mark among big men to play over 1,000 minutes, per CleaningTheGlass.</p><p>Claxton has not enjoyed the luxury of continuity over the last three years. The Nets have had four head coaches during that span: Steve Nash, Jacque Vaughn, Kevin Ollie and Jordi Fernandez. Outside of Claxton, Cam Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe are Brooklyn’s only remaining players from the 2022-23 roster.</p><p>“I’m not making any excuses, but it’s been different every year since I’ve been here. So I’m always adjusting, I’m always adapting,” Claxton said when asked why he feels he’s regressed during the last two seasons. “But I had a really good summer, so I definitely think that this year I’ll be able to get back to playing on that [2022-23] level consistently. That’s my goal going into the season.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-nic-claxton-suspended-one-game-reaching-flagrant-foul-limit">Claxton’s on-court blow-ups</a>, often resulting in technical fouls and ejections, have also been an issue that he acknowledged must stop.</p><p>“Really, it’s consistency with every day showing up and growing my game. Being a leader consistently, keeping my mental in a good place and not like they say, ‘crashing out’ out there,'” he said. “So just making sure that I’m consistent, that’s really the biggest thing.”</p><p>Despite his recent struggles, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-nic-claxton-anchoring-league-best-defense-4-1-stretch">Claxton has played like a high-level center</a> for stretches throughout his career. Entering his second season as Brooklyn’s head coach, Jordi Fernandez believes the veteran big man can raise his game to another level.</p><p>“I expect Nic to have a career year and to be better,” Fernandez said. “I think that dealing with some lower back issues [last season], this summer he’s looked amazing, he’s put his work in, he’s been working on his shot. How committed he’s been throughout the whole summer, I believe it’s gonna help Nic take the next step.”</p><p>With Brooklyn entrenched in a full rebuild and another tanking season, Claxton’s name will pop up in trade rumors throughout the year. The Nets extended backup center Day’Ron Sharpe this summer after he had a career-best season. They also selected Michigan big man Danny Wolf in the first round of June’s draft.</p><p>Despite this, Claxton is focusing on the present as he attempts to re-establish himself in the upper echelon of NBA centers.</p><p>“While I’m here, you’re going to get the best version of me. So that’s all I can focus on. This is today. And be the best version of myself,” he said. “I had a really good summer. That’s not my job to worry about if I’ll be here next year. We’re going young. I’m here right now, so I’m going to give it my all.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nets’ Nic Claxton reveals ultimate 2025-26 goal after letdown season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-nic-claxton-ranked-nbas-top-25-big-men');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets’ Nic Claxton ranked among NBA’s top 25 big men after injury-plagued season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Nic-Claxton.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Nets’ Nic Claxton ranked among NBA’s top 25 big men after injury-plagued season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-27T07:23:58-07:00">August 27th, 7:23am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-27T07:23:58-07:00">August 27th, 7:23am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Brooklyn Nets center <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-nic-claxton-critical-take-performance-recieving-100-million-contract">Nic Claxton is coming off a letdown season</a>. Despite that, the 26-year-old is still viewed as a quality starting center. The Athletic <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6555774/2025/08/15/nba-center-rankings-the-bounce/" rel="noopener">recently revealed its big man rankings</a> ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, and Claxton came in at No. 22.</p><p>Claxton was part of a tier titled, “Can these guys make a leap?” The group included players such as Naz Reid, Jalen Duren, Goga Bitadze, Mitchell Robinson, Derek Lively and Kel’el Ware.</p><p>Claxton’s skill set has likely secured him a starting center spot in the NBA for the foreseeable future. However, whether he can reach the upper echelon of players at the position remains in doubt.</p><h2>Can Nic Claxton return to form with rebuilding Nets this season?</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Nic-Claxton-2.jpg"><figcaption>Jerome Miron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Claxton emerged as one of the NBA’s top defensive centers during the 2022-23 season. The former second-round pick ranked third in the NBA in stocks (steals + blocks) that year, trailing only Jaren Jackson Jr. and Anthony Davis. He also made significant strides offensively, leading the NBA in field goal percentage (70.5).</p><p>That improvement led the Nets to reward him with a four-year, $97 million contract last summer.</p><p>However, Claxton’s production has dipped during the last two seasons. The sixth-year center averaged 3.2 stocks per 36 minutes last season compared to 4.0 per 36 in 2022-23. He posted a +1.2 defensive rating, ranking in the 39th percentile among NBA big men, per CleaningTheGlass. During the 2022-23 campaign, he posted a -3.7 defensive rating, ranking in the 82nd percentile.</p><p>Despite appearing in 70 games, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-nic-claxton-long-term-injury-admission-after-receiving-epidural">Claxton was battling injuries</a> last season. The Georgia product missed the start of the year with a hamstring strain and later received an epidural for a back injury he suffered last offseason. During his exit interview, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-nic-claxton-offseason-back-injury-bothers-him-after-humbling-season">Claxton said the injury was “still bothering him”</a> and that he hoped to get it under control this offseason.</p><p>Whether Claxton can return to his 2022-23 dominance will be among the Nets’ top questions this season. With Brooklyn entering year two of its rebuild, the veteran big man could emerge as a trade candidate in the coming year.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nets’ Nic Claxton ranked among NBA’s top 25 big men after injury-plagued season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/austin-reaves-nic-claxton-offseason-trade-proposal-between-lakers-nets');   ga('set', 'title', 'Austin Reaves-Nic Claxton offseason trade proposal between Lakers, Nets');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Austin-Reaves-Nic-Claxton-trade-proposal-between-Lakers-Nets.jpg"></figure><h1>Austin Reaves-Nic Claxton offseason trade proposal between Lakers, Nets</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-06T12:38:08-07:00">May 6th, 12:38pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-06T12:38:08-07:00">May 6th, 12:38pm</time><address><a>Bailey Bassett</a>Bailey Bassett is a sports writer from Denver, Colorado, covering major sports events and athlete backgrounds at ClutchPoints. He has experience covering and writing on high school, collegiate, and professional sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-trade-grade-luka-doncic-deal">Los Angeles Lakers trade for Luka Doncic</a> was one of the biggest fleeces in NBA history, and that remains the case even after the team lost in the first round of the playoffs. But now they need to make a move involving Austin Reaves.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/the-most-shocking-nba-trades-ever-ranked">Lakers and Dallas Mavericks shocked the world when Doncic was moved</a> to Los Angeles for only Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and one first-round pick. At the time, Doncic was 25 years old and clearly one of the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/nba-top-100-player-rankings-2024-25-season">best players in the NBA</a>, while Davis, while still talented, was years deep into struggling with injury issues.</p><p>The trade was predictably disastrous for the Mavericks, as injury problems continued to plague Davis, which led to the Mavericks missing the playoffs altogether. The Lakers weren’t quite as dominant as expected with Doncic and LeBron James on the roster, though, and that is largely because Doncic’s skillset is a little redundant with Reaves on the roster.</p><p>More so, though, the team’s lack of depth at the center position haunted them and ultimately prevented the team from winning their first-round matchup. The Doncic trade was more of a long-term play, but the Lakers should still want to maximize James’ time alongside the Slovenian before the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/every-number-one-overall-nba-draft-pick-merger-ranked">former No. 1 pick</a> retires.</p><p>While Reaves developed into a great player and one of the best third options in the NBA this past season, he might not be the best fit for the next couple of years. Therefore, trading him for a big man could make sense. A trade with the Brooklyn Nets for Nic Claxton is something that the Lakers should pursue.</p><h2><b>Lakers-Nets trade proposal involving Austin Reaves</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Austin-Reaves-Nic-Claxton.jpg"><figcaption>Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><b>Lakers receive:</b> Nic Claxton, Cam Johnson</p><p><b>Nets receive:</b> Austin Reaves, Maxi Kleber, Dalton Knecht, Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, 2031 first-round pick</p><p>Trading Reaves would be no easy decision for the Lakers because the former undrafted guard took huge strides in his development this past season. Reaves averaged 20.2 points per game in his fourth year in the league, and he was even better than that in the games that Doncic and/or James didn’t play in.</p><p>Reaves has a silky smooth handle, a craftiness about getting to the rim, a reliable jump shot, and advanced playmaking skills. Those attributes give him immense potential on the offensive end.</p><p>However, everything that he can do, Doncic can do a little bit better. Additionally, both players struggle on the defensive end. Between Doncic and James, there is plenty of offensive creation to go around in Los Angeles, but the Lakers need more size and defense.</p><p>Claxton would immediately fill LA’s biggest hole. The team tried to trade for a center ahead of the NBA trade deadline, but the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/inside-failed-lakers-hornets-trade-mark-williams">NBA canceled the trade for Mark Williams</a> after the Charlotte Hornets center failed his physical.</p><p>The Lakers had no centers on the roster who were clear-cut rotation-caliber players. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-jaxson-hayes-playoff-benching-timberwolves">Jaxson Hayes was their primary five-man, but the Lakers even benched him</a> in Game 5 of the their series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.</p><p>Claxton is a play-finisher who can get put-back rebounds and catch alley-oop passes. He is also a solid rebounder and an impressive shot blocker. His rim protection prowess has put him in Defensive Player of the Year conversations before.</p><p>Cam Johnson would bring in even more defense. Johnson fits the mold of a 3-and-D player who could thrive on the court with playmakers like James and Doncic.</p><h2><b>Could trading for Austin Reaves elevate the Nets?</b></h2><p>A rebuilding team like the Nets could be interested in handing Reaves the keys to their franchise. The Nets have <a href="https://fanspo.com/nba/teams/nets/3/draft-picks" rel="noopener">a ton of</a> draft capital that sets them up well for the future, but they’ve also shown interest in bringing in a legitimate star, evidenced by their <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-rumors-insider-speculates-giannis-antetokounmpos-big-city-trade-wishlist">interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo.</a></p><p>Claxton and Johnson are solid players, but their ceilings aren’t nearly as high as Reaves’ ceiling is. As the lead option, the Nets could envision Reaves approaching 25-plus points per game and becoming a bona fide All-Star. The Nets would also get some other solid pieces back in this trade.</p><p>Dalton Knecht, who was the other half of that failed trade for Williams, had a solid rookie season. Impressing in year one is no easy feat, and his 3-point shooting would translate to any team. Jarred Vanderbilt is also a solid hustle player who can give effort on defense while also thriving on the offensive glass.</p><p>The Lakers’ 2031 first-round pick also holds significant value because James will be in retirement by then, so the Lakers’ pick could end up in the NBA Draft lottery.</p><p>Because Claxton and Johnson have so frequently been part of trade rumors, their time with the Nets could be at an end soon. Brooklyn should be happy to add a player like Reaves who has legitimate All-Star potential.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Austin Reaves-Nic Claxton offseason trade proposal between Lakers, Nets

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-nic-claxton-offseason-back-injury-bothers-him-after-humbling-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets’ Nic Claxton drops injury revelation after ‘humbling’ season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Nic-Claxton.jpg"></figure><h1>Nets’ Nic Claxton drops injury revelation after ‘humbling’ season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-17T08:15:13-07:00">April 17th, 8:15am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-17T08:45:48-07:00">April 17th, 8:45am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-nic-claxton-new-role-100m-contract">Brooklyn Nets had high expectations for Nic Claxton</a> this season after signing him to a four-year, $97 million contract. While the sixth-year center showed flashes of the two-way play that led to his life-changing payday, he struggled to live up to the billing.</p><p>“It was a very humbling season. It was a lot of highs, a lot of lows for me. Just physically, mentally, spiritually, everything. It was a lot,” Claxton said. “Just [need to make sure I’m] not repeating the same thing over again [with the injuries]. Making sure I have a good summer. Last time, I wasn’t able to work out much because of my back. Just making sure I come in prepared and I’m not playing catch-up. [Making sure] I get myself in the best shape as possible.”</p><p>Claxton emerged as one of the NBA’s top centers during the 2022-23 season, finishing ninth in the Defensive Player of the Year voting and making significant improvements offensively. However, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-nic-claxton-critical-take-performance-recieving-100-million-contract">his production has trended downward</a> over the last two years.</p><p>The former second-round pick averaged 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.4 blocks on 56.3 percent shooting over 70 appearances this season. Opponents outscored Brooklyn by 12.6 points per 100 possessions during his minutes, the fifth-worst mark among 100 centers who averaged over 15 minutes per game.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-nic-claxton-suspended-one-game-reaching-flagrant-foul-limit">Claxton continued to struggle to maintain his composure</a> in games. He was ejected three times throughout the season and served a one-game suspension in February after accruing his sixth flagrant foul point.</p><h2>Nic Claxton will use offseason to regroup after forgettable season with Nets</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Nic-Claxton-2.jpg"><figcaption>Jerome Miron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>While his poor net rating and ejections are concerning, the Nets did not put Claxton in optimal circumstances for success during a tanking season. He played the first half of the year with a non-shooting point guard in Ben Simmons and finished alongside backups and G-League call-ups as Brooklyn angled for top lottery odds.</p><p>The Georgia product also began the year behind schedule after missing the preseason with a hamstring injury. He received an epidural for a back injury in November that he later revealed had limited his training during the offseason.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-nic-claxton-long-term-injury-admission-after-receiving-epidural">Claxton said the back ailment</a> remains an issue nearly a year later.</p><p>“I still need to get right. It’s still bothering me, honestly,” he told reporters during his exit interview. “But we got the whole offseason. I was still able to play 70 games. That’s a blessing, being able to do that three seasons in a row. I don’t take that for granted. No major injuries. I’ll have time to lock in on it this summer.”</p><p>As is the case for most of the Nets roster, Nic Claxton’s future is uncertain as the team moves forward in its rebuild. The 26-year-old can be part of Brooklyn’s next iteration or included in a trade, potentially for a star.</p><p>Claxton’s contract should be movable if he can return to form following a healthy offseason. Brooklyn <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/player/_/id/31590/nicolas-claxton" rel="noopener">frontloaded the deal</a>, paying him the bulk of the $97 million commitment in the first two years. With the NBA’s salary cap rising, he will make 13.99 percent and 11.50 percent of the salary cap in the contract’s final two years, respectively.</p><p>Despite his murky future, Brooklyn’s longest-tenured player is focusing on being part of a turnaround.</p><p>“Getting to the playoffs and winning more games. Working on turning that corner,” Claxton said of his expectations. “I know it’s not easy, winning in this league, but we’re gonna do it.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nets’ Nic Claxton drops injury revelation after ‘humbling’ season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-nic-claxton-suspended-one-game-reaching-flagrant-foul-limit');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets’ Nic Claxton suspended one game after reaching flagrant foul limit');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Nets-news-Nic-Claxton-suspended-for-one-game-after-reaching-flagrant-foul-limit.jpg"></figure><h1>Nets’ Nic Claxton suspended one game after reaching flagrant foul limit</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-02-25T19:56:24-08:00">February 25th, 7:56pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-02-25T20:00:02-08:00">February 25th, 8:00pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The NBA suspended Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton for one game without pay after he accrued his sixth flagrant foul point of the season. Claxton will serve the suspension when the Nets host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.</p><p>Claxton was assessed a flagrant one after he shoved Justin Champagnie in the back during Monday’s loss to the Washington Wizards. The sixth-year center has been ejected after picking up flagrant twos twice this season. He <a href="https://x.com/erikslater_/status/1849267358910886282" rel="noopener">clotheslined Dyson Daniels</a> during the Nets’ season-opener and hit Franz Wagner in the face during the closing minutes of a Dec. 1 loss to the Orlando Magic.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/toronto-raptors/nets-news-nic-claxton-ejected-raptors-game-shocking-move">Claxton was also ejected and fined $25,000</a> for throwing the ball in the stands during the first half of a Jan. 1 loss to the Toronto Raptors.</p><h2>Nic Claxton suspended after picking up flagrant foul in Nets’ loss vs. Wizards</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Wizards-Bilal-Coulibaly.jpg"><figcaption>© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Claxton has admitted that controlling his emotions during the heat of competition has been a struggle.</p><p>“It’s just having more situational awareness,” he said after his ejection in Brooklyn’s season opener. “Maybe I need to talk to a therapist or something. Whatever I do, I can’t get kicked out of games. I need to be there for my team.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Asked Nic Claxton about controlling his emotions after another late-game ejection:<br> <br>“Just having more situational awareness. Maybe I need to talk to a therapist or something. Whatever I do, I can’t get kicked out of games. I need to be there for my team.” <a href="https://t.co/AbbfC8BFSu">pic.twitter.com/AbbfC8BFSu</a></p><p>— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1849289354440536462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Claxton’s inability to maintain his composure has cost the Nets in the past. The 25-year-old was ejected during the fourth quarter of a playoff game against the Philadelphia 76ers in 2022. He had two more ejections last season and tallied 10 technical fouls.</p><p>Claxton has been one of the NBA’s top defenders of late following a slow start to the season. He leads the league in blocks in February, averaging 2.8 per game. The Nets rank first in defense during a 7-3 stretch over their last 10 appearances, allowing 98.8 points per game on 42.1 percent shooting.</p><p>With Claxton sidelined vs. Oklahoma City, Day’Ron Sharpe will start at center. The fourth-year big man has also performed well of late, averaging 9.7 points on 62 percent shooting with 6.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 blocks per game in February.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nets’ Nic Claxton suspended one game after reaching flagrant foul limit

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-nic-claxton-brooklyn-react-epic-buzzer-beater-win-76ers');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nic Claxton, Nets react to epic buzzer beater following upset win over 76ers');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Nets-news-Nic-Claxton-Brooklyn-react-to-epic-buzzer-beater-win-over-76ers.jpg"></figure><h1>Nic Claxton, Nets react to epic buzzer beater following upset win over 76ers</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-02-22T22:12:01-08:00">February 22nd, 10:12pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-02-22T22:51:19-08:00">February 22nd, 10:51pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Brooklyn Nets had one possession to salvage an upset win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday at Wells Fargo Center. After the 76ers trailed by 17 in the third quarter, Tyrese Maxey drained a three with 23 seconds left to tie the game.</p><p>Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez didn’t call a timeout to set up a final play. Trendon Watford drove and found Keon Johnson for an open three that missed, only for Nic Claxton to <a href="https://x.com/erikslater_/status/1893495562814591002" rel="noopener">soar across the lane for a putback at the buzzer</a>, sealing a 105-103 victory.</p><p>“That was my first game-winner ever. It felt good, it really did feel like a movie. Seen the shot go up and just tried to make a play,” Claxton said. “Originally, I didn’t even know that I did beat the buzzer, so I was just trying to process everything, and I was just looking in the crowd. And then I was like, I think it was good. And everybody came and just mobbed me. It was a great feeling… It’s definitely [a] top three [moment] in all the years I’ve been hooping.”</p><p>The Nets entered the game tied with Philadelphia for sixth place in the draft lottery standings. With <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-brooklyns-play-in-hopes-dealt-major-blow-dangelo-russell-sidelined-injury">D’Angelo Russell sidelined</a>, they were heavy underdogs against a 76ers squad with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George available.</p><p>However, Claxton and several other players stepped up to help Brooklyn secure its seventh win in nine games.</p><h2>Nic Claxton caps upset Nets win with game-winner at buzzer</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Nic-Claxton-1.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Claxton got the better of a hobbled Joel Embiid, posting 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting with nine rebounds and five blocks. The performance continues a hot stretch for the sixth-year center following a slow start to the season.</p><p>Claxton has averaged 12.6 points and 7.3 rebounds on 56.0 percent shooting over the last nine games. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-nic-claxton-anchoring-league-best-defense-4-1-stretch">He’s anchored a defense</a> that ranks first in the NBA during that span, blocking 3.3 shots per game.</p><p>“This is exactly what we know he can do. This is what makes him one of the premiere centers in this league,” said Cam Johnson. “His ability to run, his ability to impact the ball, guard the perimeter, protect the rim, finish at the rim… That’s the Clax that we always count on, and he’s been huge for what we’ve been doing.”</p><p>After battling back and hamstring injuries early in the season, Claxton has begun to resemble the player that drew Defensive Player of the Year hype in recent years. His newfound health and added reps in an altered defensive scheme have him feeling like his old self.</p><p>“Just staying resilient through everything. Through injuries, through not feeling like myself. And then the support from my teammates, from the coaches, just continuing to rock with me, having the confidence, instilling the confidence in me every single day. It’s just coming together for me and also for the team,” Claxton said of his recent play. “I’m getting there. I’m just grinding the season out, and then I’ll have a real good summer. I wasn’t able to work out much [last summer while battling injuries], but I’m getting there. I’m feeling good. I’m doing what I need to do for the team.”</p><p>Cam Johnson continued to provide a steady veteran presence, scoring a team-high 23 points. However, with Russell sidelined, Trendon Watford led Brooklyn’s offense down the stretch. The LSU product continued a hot streak since returning from a hamstring injury, posting 16 points and six assists on 7-of-13 shooting in 24 minutes off the bench.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-key-brooklyn-reserve-could-benefit-ben-simmons-buyout-ahead-of-free-agency">Watford has continued a transition to a point-forward role</a> after playing small-ball center during his first two NBA seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. With Russell sidelined and Ben Simmons no longer on the roster, he’s making the most of his opportunity.</p><p>“It’s sad to see D’Lo go down. But I think it’s next man up,” Watford said. “I’m having fun. I think it all started — I mean, y’all saw it last year, just being able to play on-ball and do different things and use my skillset to the best of my ability. Starting this year off with some injuries and now being able to pick it back up, man, it’s fun. I’m just having fun playing with the guys. So I’m just glad. We put in a lot of work man. I put in a lot of work. And now it’s just good to see it paying off.”</p><p>Watford has averaged 11.4 points and 2.9 assists while posting a team-best +8.3 Box Plus-Minus over the Nets’ last eight games. Brooklyn is 12-8 in games he’s played and 9-27 in games he’s missed.</p><p>At 6-foot-8 with natural ball-handling ability and a soft touch around the rim, he’s provided shot creation that has been difficult to find elsewhere on the roster.</p><p>“He helps you win. And he does that because he’s able to score, but also able to handle and play-make. He can play four positions, post-up, and make threes. So all those things are super valuable at his size and position. He’s another guy that I’m very happy with,” Fernandez said. “You can say in those 20 games, we have been really good with him on the court.”</p><p>The Nets appeared to be all-in on a tank following a 2-15 stretch in January that had brought them within two games of top-three lottery odds. However, their recent success has pulled them within a half-game of the Chicago Bulls for the Eastern Conference’s final play-in spot.</p><p>Saturday’s win over the 76ers is another step toward an improbable postseason birth.</p><p>“We understand what’s at stake here. A lot of the joy in the locker room comes from winning and just trying to outdo expectations. I think that’s a big chip on our shoulders, a big source of pride for us. And we’re gonna continue to compete,” Johnson said. “It’s multi-layered. The better we do as a team, the more we succeed, the better each individual player looks, it’s better for everyone’s careers. So to find something [like the play-in race] to add that competitive edge, to play for, to compete for, compete for each other, our coaching staff, it just adds that joy.</p><p>And I think it’s kinda evident if you watch the game, that joy that we’re playing with. How we support each other and pick each other up when we’re down. We’re far from a finished product, and we’re really at the beginning stages of figuring it all out, but at least we’re playing with that passion that we need to have.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nic Claxton, Nets react to epic buzzer beater following upset win over 76ers

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-nic-claxton-76ers-season-game-winner');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nic Claxton adds to 76ers’ painful season with wild putback game-winner');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IMG_1314.jpeg"></figure><h1>Nic Claxton adds to 76ers’ painful season with wild putback game-winner</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-02-22T19:42:06-08:00">February 22nd, 7:42pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-02-22T19:42:06-08:00">February 22nd, 7:42pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Coming into Saturday’s game, the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers were two teams that were supposed to be heading in opposite directions. The Nets were heading into a rebuild while the 76ers were supposed to be a contender in the Eastern Conference. But the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/76ers-news-eric-gordon-gets-brutal-injury-update-as-season-continues">76ers have slogged through a disappointing season</a>, and Nic Claxton just <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1893496052126490703" rel="noopener">added to their misery</a> with a putback game-winner for the Nets.</p><p>On the final play of the game, with the 76ers and Nets tied at 103 and the Nets having possession, Trendon Watford had the ball out on the perimeter. He dribbled in closer and dished the ball to Keon Johnson on the left arc for the potential game-winner.</p><p>Johnson’s shot fell short, but Nic Claxton swooped in for the rebound and the putback all in one motion for the ultimate game-winner for the Nets as time expired. Brooklyn walked away with the 105-103 win, while dropping the 76ers to 20-36.</p><p>Time is running out for the 76ers to make a potential run in the standings as the playoffs draw near. It doesn’t look promising for them, and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/76ers-news-joel-embiid-brutally-honest-take-debilitating-knee-issues">Joel Embiid recently spoke about the knee injury issues</a> he’s battled this season.</p><p>On the Nets’ side of things, they might actually be not quite where they want to be. During a rebuild, accumulating high draft picks, and draft capital in general, is generally what teams do. The Nets are currently 21-35 and not quite bad enough to be in the running for one of the top lottery picks.</p><p>Claxton though has been one of the promising players on the Nets’ roster this season. Still only 25 years old, the sixth-year big man has appeared in 48 games at a little over 26 minutes per game.</p><p>He’s been averaging 10.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.4 blocked shots with splits of 54.2 percent shooting from the field and 51.8 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nic Claxton adds to 76ers’ painful season with wild putback game-winner

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nets-news-is-nic-claxton-playing-vs-76ers-latest-update');   ga('set', 'title', 'Is Nets’ Nic Claxton playing vs. 76ers? Latest injury update');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/nets-news-nic-claxton-receives-concerning-injury-update-before-mavs-game.jpg"></figure><h1>Is Nets’ Nic Claxton playing vs. 76ers? Latest injury update</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-02-11T19:52:50-08:00">February 11th, 7:52pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-02-11T19:56:01-08:00">February 11th, 7:56pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Brooklyn Nets will host the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday at Barclays Center. Nic Claxton <a href="https://ak-static.cms.nba.com/referee/injury/Injury-Report_2025-02-11_09PM.pdf" rel="noopener">is questionable on the team’s injury report</a> with a right ankle sprain.</p><p>Here’s everything we know about Claxton’s injury and playing status vs. the 76ers.</p><p><i><b>*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/nba/?irad=356361&amp;irmp=492408" rel="noopener sponsored">(Get Access | Save $30)</a>*</b></i></p><h2>Nic Claxton injury status vs. 76ers</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Nets-Nic-Claxton.jpg"><figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Claxton injured his ankle during Monday’s 97-89 win over the Charlotte Hornets but did not exit the game. He finished with a team-high 16 points on 8-of-13 shooting with four rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks.</p><p>A questionable tag indicates he’s experiencing discomfort in the ankle. His status will gain clarity closer to tipoff.</p><p>Following a slow start, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-nic-claxton-anchoring-league-best-defense-4-1-stretch">Claxton has played his best basketball of the season</a> during a 5-1 stretch over the Nets’ last six games. The sixth-year center has averaged 12.7 points and 6.2 rebounds on 60.3 percent shooting. He’s anchored a Brooklyn defense that ranks first in the NBA during the winning stretch, averaging 2.8 blocks and 1.0 steals per game.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-players-shout-out-haters-after-passing-disrespectful-win-projection">Nets’ recent success has brought them within 2.5 games</a> of the Eastern Conference’s final play-in spot. However, they’ve <a href="https://www.tankathon.com/" rel="noopener">fallen to sixth in the draft lottery standings</a>, 2.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors for fifth and five behind the Charlotte Hornets for fourth.</p><p>Meanwhile, the 76ers continue struggling, losing six of their last seven games. Despite <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/76ers-news-is-joel-embiid-playing-vs-raptors-latest-injury-update">Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey being available</a>, Philadelphia fell 106-103 to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Center. Embiid had a chance to win the game in the final seconds but passed up a wide-open three before turning the ball over.</p><p>The loss dropped the 76ers to 20-33, one game behind the Nets for sixth in the draft lottery standings. Philadelphia owes the Oklahoma City Thunder a top-six protected first-round pick in June’s draft.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Is Nets’ Nic Claxton playing vs. 76ers? Latest injury update

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nets-news-nic-claxton-anchoring-league-best-defense-4-1-stretch');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nic Claxton resurgence fueling Nets’ league-best defense during 4-1 stretch');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Nic-Claxton-anchoring-Brooklyns-league-best-defense-during-4-1-stretch-after-slow-start-to-season.jpg"></figure><h1>Nic Claxton resurgence fueling Nets’ league-best defense during 4-1 stretch</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-02-10T16:19:39-08:00">February 10th, 4:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-02-11T07:46:51-08:00">February 11th, 7:46am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Brooklyn Nets are 4-1 over their last five games, and their surging defense is responsible. Jordi Fernandez’s squad ranks first defensively during the winning stretch, allowing 96.6 points per game on 40.7 shooting while forcing 15.0 turnovers per game.</p><p>Following a slow start to the season, a Nic Claxton resurgence has been central to Brooklyn’s success.</p><p>“Our bigs, they’ve held it down,” D’Angelo Russell said after Friday’s 102-86 win over the Miami Heat. “They’ve contested everything at the rim, been physical in the paint, held the paint down, which has allowed our guards to be more physical… Nic was yelling at us all night, trying to challenge us, put a battery in our back, and a lot of guys responded… It’s what Nic does. It’s contagious. He’s so emotionally into the game that we feed off of him.”</p><p>“If he’s frustrated, [we’ll ask]. ‘Why are you frustrated?’ And we try to help with that. Usually, it may be something like a guard got beat in the lane, and he may have had to foul or something like that. He challenges us, and we respond. So that’s what he does. He’s the anchor here.”</p><p>After signing a four-year, $97 million contract, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-nic-claxton-critical-take-performance-recieving-100-million-contract">Claxton struggled to produce</a> while battling injuries early this season. However, during the Nets’ 4-1 stretch, he’s resembled the player that drew Defensive Player of the Year hype in recent years.</p><h2>Nic Claxton leading Nets defensive resurgence during winning stretch</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Nic-Claxton_3f24cd.jpg"><figcaption>Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Claxton is averaging 3.0 blocks per game over his last five appearances. His activity as a pick-and-roll defender and rim protector has overwhelmed opposing scorers. After accepting the Nets head coaching job, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/jordi-fernandezs-nic-claxton-dpoy-take-reveals-nets-free-agency-plans">Jordi Fernandez said the sixth-year will win Defensive Player of the Year</a> in coming seasons.</p><p>His opinion hasn’t changed.</p><p>“I believe he can get Defensive Player of the Year. Right now, my challenge is [for him to] do it consistently throughout four quarters because we need him [to],” Fernandez said. “This stretch, the last five games, he and Day’Ron were really, really good. And we need that level of energy, communication, intensity. I’m very happy with the steps, the positive steps he’s taking, and like I said, he has been anchoring our defense. The team benefits from it.”</p><p>Claxton emerged as one of the NBA’s top perimeter-defending big men over the last two seasons. He ranked fourth in stocks (steals + blocks) during that span, trailing only Anthony Davis, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Brook Lopez. His nimble feet, length and defensive instincts were a weapon in Brooklyn’s switch-everything scheme.</p><p>However, the Nets have altered their defense under Fernandez, playing more drop coverage while mixing in hedges and blitzes against the pick-and-roll. Added reps and improved health have Claxton feeling like his old self.</p><p>“I’m just trying to show them my energy in a positive way. That’s what I’ve been trying to focus on, just on my emotions, just use it in a positive way, to motivate myself and the team,” he said. “I’m just figuring it out, just figuring out my spots where I can get blocks. [My] explosiveness [is] coming back. It’s a different defense. So just figuring everything out, just taking pride on the defensive side of the ball.”</p><p>The Nets’ draft position has dominated the conversation surrounding the team this season. However, following their 4-1 stretch, they are closer to the Eastern Conference play-in (3.5 games) than top-three lottery odds (5.5 games). With leading scorer Cam Thomas sidelined and point guards Dennis Schroder and Ben Simmons no longer on the roster, Brooklyn’s continued success will be predicated on defense.</p><p>Since day one of training camp, Fernandez has harped on a defensive identity when outlining his vision. Brooklyn’s last five games have offered a glimpse of what the team is capable of when bought in.</p><p>“I think it’s been consistent work and then showing up and buying into what we’re trying to do,” Fernandez said of his team’s recent success. “There’s no perfect system. The only way is when everybody pushes in the same direction, and everybody’s trying to do the same things. The little things of communicating and engaging, those things are very important for a connected group.</p><p>And right now, we’re seeing results. We have to keep growing, and our system has to keep developing so we have more things in our arsenal, so this way, we can adjust in different ways. But I’m very happy with how we’re growing at this at this moment.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nic Claxton resurgence fueling Nets’ league-best defense during 4-1 stretch

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nets-news-are-ben-simmons-nic-claxton-playing-trail-blazers-latest-update');   ga('set', 'title', 'Are Nets’ Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton playing vs. Trail Blazers? Latest injury update');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Are-Ben-Simmons-Nic-Claxton-playing-vs.-Trail-Blazers-Latest-injury-update.jpg"></figure><h1>Are Nets’ Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton playing vs. Trail Blazers? Latest injury update</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-14T06:03:00-08:00">January 14th, 6:03am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-14T06:10:02-08:00">January 14th, 6:10am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-vs-trail-blazers-prediction-odds-pick-spread-1-14-2025">Brooklyn Nets will face the Portland Trail Blazers</a> on Tuesday at Moda Center. Ben Simmons and Nic Claxton <a href="https://ak-static.cms.nba.com/referee/injury/Injury-Report_2025-01-14_07AM.pdf" rel="noopener">are questionable on the team’s injury report</a> for the front end of a back-to-back. Simmons is managing a lower back injury and has left knee soreness, while Claxton has right hamstring tightness.</p><p>Here’s everything we know about both players’ injuries and playing statuses vs. the Trail Blazers.</p><p><i><b>*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV <a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/nba/?irad=356361&amp;irmp=492408" rel="noopener sponsored">(Get Access | Save $30)</a>*</b></i></p><h2>Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton injury status for Nets-Trail Blazers</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Ben-Simmons_c0b0b0.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/ben-simmons-jab-nets-tanking-strategy-highlights-absurdity-jazz-game">Simmons returned for the Nets’ last two games</a> following a four-game absence due to calf soreness and lower back injury management. However, he has not yet been cleared to play in back-to-backs, and Brooklyn will visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. The team has carefully managed the three-time All-Star’s load this year after his last two seasons were cut short by back injuries.</p><p>With Simmons set to sit one game during the back-to-back, it would be surprising to see him suit up vs. Portland, given the game’s draft positioning ramifications. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-brooklyns-next-two-games-could-play-critical-role-determining-draft-position">The Trail Blazers are a half-game behind the Nets</a> for sixth place in the draft lottery standings.</p><p>Meanwhile, Claxton popped up on Brooklyn’s injury report following Sunday’s overtime loss to the Utah Jazz. The sixth-year center has not missed a game since a Nov. 27 road loss to the Phoenix Suns. Head coach Jordi Fernandez has preached a cautious approach with injuries this season, saying he wants players to be 200 percent before returning from any ailment.</p><p>Given this and Tuesday’s game’s draft positioning element, it would be surprising to see Claxton play through any hamstring discomfort.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-cam-johnson-dangelo-russell-could-return-extended-absences-trail-blazers">Cam Johnson and D’Angelo Russell are also questionable</a> for the Blazers matchup. Johnson has missed the last five games due to a right ankle sprain, while Russell has missed four straight due to a right shin contusion. Cam Thomas will miss Tuesday’s game and the rest of Brooklyn’s road trip after he reaggravated a left hamstring strain that held him out for a month earlier this season.</p><p>The Nets have posted the NBA’s worst offensive rating amid their slew of injuries during a five-game losing streak. Portland has won four of its last nine and enters Tuesday’s matchup on two days’ rest. Deni Avdija (right ankle sprain) and Dalano Banton (illness) are questionable, while Jerami Grant (face contusion) will miss his eighth straight game due to a face contusion.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Are Nets’ Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton playing vs. Trail Blazers? Latest injury update

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nets-news-nic-claxton-critical-take-performance-recieving-100-million-contract');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets’ Nic Claxton has critical take on performance after receiving near-$100 million contract');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Nic-Claxton-has-critical-reaction-to-his-slow-start-to-2024-25-campaign.jpg"></figure><h1>Nets’ Nic Claxton has critical take on performance after receiving near-$100 million contract</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-25T08:27:39-08:00">December 25th, 8:27am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-25T08:37:33-08:00">December 25th, 8:37am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-nic-claxton-new-role-100m-contract">Brooklyn Nets expected Nic Claxton to reach another level</a> when they committed nearly $100 million to him this summer. He hasn’t done it early this season. In fact, he’s regressed, and he knows it.</p><p>“I’m not pleased with nothing, honestly. I need to be better, more consistent,” Claxton said of his performance. “[I need to improve] everywhere: rebounding, free throws, protecting the rim, more blocks. I need to do everything better. Be more aggressive on offense. Everything.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Asked Nic Claxton for one area he's been pleased with his performance this season and one he'd like to improve:</p><p>"I'm not pleased with nothing… I need to be better." <a href="https://t.co/LuQkEVmsDP">pic.twitter.com/LuQkEVmsDP</a></p><p>— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1871400762762530839?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Several developments have contributed to Claxton’s slow start to the 2024-25 campaign. The sixth-year center missed the entire preseason due to a hamstring injury, which forced him to play on a minutes restriction to start the year. He also missed time due to a lower back injury, which he received an epidural for and later <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-nic-claxton-long-term-injury-admission-after-receiving-epidural">revealed he had been battling since the summer</a>.</p><h2>Analyzing Nic Claxton’s slow start to the season with rebuilding Nets</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Nic-Claxton_90d6b6.jpg"><figcaption>Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Offensively, Claxton has averaged 9.3 points, albeit while playing five fewer minutes per game than his previous two seasons. After ranking fifth in the NBA in field goal percentage over the last two years, he’s shooting 59.4 percent, his lowest since his rookie campaign.</p><p>His pick-and-roll impact has plummeted, with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving being replaced by Spencer Dinwiddie, Dennis Schroder and Ben Simmons as the Nets’ primary ball-handlers during the last two seasons. Claxton averaged 1.36 points per possession as a pick-and-roll roll man in 2022-23, the fifth-highest among 80 big men to run the play over 50 times. He’s averaging 1.07 points per possession on the play this season.</p><p>Claxton’s pedestrian offensive numbers have taken another hit with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-brooklyns-dennis-schroder-trade-having-desired-effect-as-offense-plummets">Simmons replacing Schroder at point guard</a> over Brooklyn’s last four games. The 25-year-old has averaged 7.8 points on 44.8 percent shooting. He turned in his worst shooting performance of the season during Monday’s 110-95 loss to the Miami Heat, scoring six points while converting 1-of-7 attempts.</p><p>“It’s been different [with Ben replacing Dennis],” he said following the loss. “Obviously, the space is different, but today, I just couldn’t finish. I was 1-for-7. I don’t know if I’ve ever since I’ve been in the league shot 1-for-7. It’s different, but I’ll adjust… They were good [looks]. Most of them were good… Those are just like those little short shots, the hooks and easy layups. I just gotta finish them.”</p><p>On the surface, Claxton’s defensive dropoff has been more concerning.</p><h2>Is Nic Claxton making a defensive impact this season?</h2><p>The former second-round pick had established a reputation as one of the NBA’s top defensive centers over the previous two seasons, ranking second in stocks (steals + blocks) behind only Brook Lopez. He averaged 3.1 per game during that span compared to 2.0 this season.</p><p>However, the advanced numbers paint a kinder picture. With Claxton on the floor, <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/players?stat_category=onoff_efficiency">opponents score</a><a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/players?stat_category=onoff_efficiency"> 4.4 fewer points</a> per 100 possessions, placing him in the 78th percentile among NBA big men, per CleaningTheGlass. He’s also securing a career-high 35.7 percent of his contested defensive rebounds, ranking 11th among 42 centers to play at least 400 minutes. That number was lower than 26 percent during the previous two years.</p><p>The Nets have not put Claxton in optimal situations to perform during a tanking season. However, teams don’t give $100 million contracts to players who only perform when conditions are favorable. They give them to players who produce regardless of circumstance.</p><p>Claxton must raise his play significantly to live up to Brooklyn’s near-nine-figure commitment, and he’s confident he will.</p><p>“Time, rhythm, and mentally just keeping myself in a good place with everything,” he said of his approach amid his slow start. “Just finding that consistency and finding my swagger through everything that’s going on. It’s on me, though. I’ll be better.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nets’ Nic Claxton has critical take on performance after receiving near-$100 million contract

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nets-news-nic-claxton-ejected-raptors-game-shocking-move');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nic Claxton ejected from Raptors game after shocking move');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Nic-Claxton-ejected-from-Raptors-game-after-shocking-move.jpg"></figure><h1>Nic Claxton ejected from Raptors game after shocking move</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-19T18:28:20-08:00">December 19th, 6:28pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-19T18:28:20-08:00">December 19th, 6:28pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Brooklyn Nets may have been in a close game against the Toronto Raptors early in the second quarter, but they’re going to have to play the rest of the game without <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-nic-claxton-reacts-season-best-performance-amid-slow-start-2024-25">starting big man Nic Claxton</a> who was ejected.</p><p>Nic Claxton was ejected with a little over eight minutes to go in the second quarter after <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1869917830621343945" rel="noopener">he tossed the ball</a> into the stands following a foul call. Claxton was bringing the ball up court on the break and was fouled by Kelly Olynyk. As the play was winding down, Claxton threw the ball into the stands and the nearest referee immediately signaled for an ejection.</p><p>Claxton was apparently upset over a no-call on the previous Nets’ offensive possession against the Raptors. Up to that point, Claxton had seven points, five rebounds and one blocked shot in a little over ten minutes.</p><p>This past offseason, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-nic-claxton-earns-100-million-contract-before-free-agency">Claxton re-signed with the Nets</a> on a four-year deal worth around $100 million. Claxton had solidified himself as the Nets’ starting center.</p><p>But to begin the 2024-25 season, Claxton was coming off the bench as he dealt with a hamstring issue and the team was managing his minutes. He’s also been managing a back injury this season and has appeared in 20 games for the Nets with 12 starts.</p><p>Claxton was moved back into the starting lineup permanently at the beginning of the month, and he’s started to look more the promising player the Nets envision as part of their future core. He’s been averaging 9.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.2 blocked shots with splits of 62.3 percent shooting from the field, 25 percent shooting from the three-point line and 46.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>The former Georgia standout was the No. 31 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Nets. This is his sixth season in the NBA, all with the Nets.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nic Claxton ejected from Raptors game after shocking move

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nets-news-nic-claxton-reacts-season-best-performance-amid-slow-start-2024-25');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets’ Nic Claxton reacts to season-best performance amid slow start to 2024-25');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Nic-Claxton-reacts-to-season-best-performance-amid-slow-start-to-2024-25.jpg"></figure><h1>Nets’ Nic Claxton reacts to season-best performance amid slow start to 2024-25</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-09T09:47:35-08:00">December 9th, 9:47am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-09T09:54:05-08:00">December 9th, 9:54am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Brooklyn Nets haven’t gotten the production <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-nic-claxton-new-role-100m-contract">they expected from Nic Claxton</a> to start 2024-25. After signing a contract just short of nine figures, the sixth-year center has struggled to make his normal impact while battling hamstring and back injuries.</p><p>Claxton received an epidural injection in November for a lower back strain, which he initially sustained over the summer and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-nic-claxton-long-term-injury-admission-after-receiving-epidural">admitted will require management throughout the season</a>. He entered Sunday averaging 9.1 points, 7.6 rebounds 2.2 assists and 1.2 blocks in 24.8 minutes per game. However, during <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-jordi-fernandez-atrocious-reaction-players-effort-late-game-collapse-vs-bucks">a 119-113 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks</a>, the 25-year-old flashed the two-way impact that earned him a life-changing contract.</p><p>Claxton posted a season-high 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting with 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks.</p><p>“I’m just getting my flow back,” he said postgame. “That’s just me playing more games. My body, everything is just starting to come together. I need to be aggressive for us [offensively], especially right now with Cam [Thomas] being out and us missing some scoring.”</p><p>The longest-tenured Net played a season-high 33 minutes during the loss. It marked his first game in 2024-25 with multiple steals and blocks after he ranked fourth in the NBA in stocks (steals + blocks) over the previous two seasons.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Nic Claxton REJECTS Giannis at the rim 😳<a href="https://t.co/9LwgSErkex">pic.twitter.com/9LwgSErkex</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1865874513340019180?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><h2>Nic Claxton flashes two-way dominance during Nets’ loss vs. Bucks</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Nic-Claxton.jpg"><figcaption>John Jones-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Claxton developed a reputation as one of the NBA’s top defenders over the last two seasons. He also made noticeable strides offensively during that span, shooting 66.7 percent from the field, the league’s fifth-highest mark.</p><p>His aggressiveness against Milwaukee’s frontline of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis was a step back in that direction.</p><p>“[I saw] Nic being Nic,” Dorian Finney-Smith said of the performance. “In the NBA, all it takes is a good three weeks and he’s right back to his numbers… He’s been hurt all summer. He’s been in and out of the lineup. So it’s hard to get your rhythm, especially playing as a big nowadays. It ain’t like they’re throwing you the ball 15 times and telling you to go get a bucket.”</p><p>“He’s gotta work for his points and his lobs and stuff like that. He’s gotta build that chemistry with guards to even get those lobs. So I know he’s happy to finally find his rhythm.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">MAJOR CLAX ATTACK!!! <a href="https://t.co/y6gFxfZLIZ">pic.twitter.com/y6gFxfZLIZ</a></p><p>— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrooklynNets/status/1865862835311456324?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Claxton has reached double figures in his last three appearances, averaging 16.0 points on 65.6 shooting while attempting 10.7 shots per game. The stretch marks his first time reaching double-digit shot attempts in a game this season. He averaged 5.9 shots per game over his first 15 appearances.</p><p>The Georgia product returning to form would be a welcome sight for the Nets, who rank 26th in defensive rebounding percentage, 27th in offensive rebounding percentage, 28th in points in the paint and 18th in opponents points in the paint.</p><p>“I’m feeling better, mentally, physically, everything’s just coming together,” Claxton said. “Just knowing that my back is ok, so I’m trusting my body, I’m putting the work in, and I’m getting back into the flow of things.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nets’ Nic Claxton reacts to season-best performance amid slow start to 2024-25

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nets-news-jordi-fernandez-reveals-nic-claxton-management-plan-center-battles-back-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets’ Jordi Fernandez reveals Nic Claxton ‘management plan’ as center battles back injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/nets-news-nic-claxton-receives-concerning-injury-update-before-mavs-game.jpg"></figure><h1>Nets’ Jordi Fernandez reveals Nic Claxton ‘management plan’ as center battles back injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-30T13:19:00-08:00">November 30th, 1:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-30T13:28:25-08:00">November 30th, 1:28pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Nic Claxton <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-nic-claxton-noah-clowney-injuries-adding-frontcourt-struggles">has not made the impact the Brooklyn Nets expected this season</a> after signing a four-year, $97 million contract. The sixth-year center has seen an inconsistent role due to a nagging back injury.</p><p>Claxton has been battling the back ailment since the summer, which he <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-nic-claxton-long-term-injury-admission-after-receiving-epidural">told reporters will require management</a> throughout the season. Head coach Jordi Fernandez <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1862638928240496981" rel="noopener">echoed a similar message</a> when asked whether the injury would require the starting center to play on a minutes restriction moving forward.</p><p>“We’re going to manage it, but the good news was that everything was clean,” the Nets coach said before Friday’s 123-100 loss to the Orlando Magic. “We’re going to need to put in a certain kind of work in with him, but other than that, we’re very happy that he can trust the process and keep working and just be 100% as far as, like, being in shape and now having a rhythm.</p><p>If Nic just keeps working, I don’t know in how many weeks, but soon enough, he’ll be the best version of himself, and that’s what we want… We just need his body to be there and play those low-to-mid 30s and we will be in a very good place.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jordi Fernandez on whether Nic Claxton's back injury will require a minutes restriction moving forward:</p><p>"We're going to manage it, but the good news was that everything was clean. We're going to need to put in a certain kind of work with him… I don't know how many weeks, but… <a href="https://t.co/MjaINPqNrG">pic.twitter.com/MjaINPqNrG</a></p><p>— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1862638928240496981?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Claxton returned for the Orlando loss after missing the Nets’ previous two games, posting eight points on 4-of-6 shooting with seven rebounds, two assists and three blocks in 26 minutes. He came off the bench, as he did during the first eight games of the season while returning from a hamstring injury.</p><h2>Nic Claxton struggling to reach full strength in first year of contract</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Nic-Claxton_2d880e.jpg"><figcaption>Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Claxton has averaged 8.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks on 65.4 percent shooting over 14 appearances. He’s bounced between the Nets’ first and second units while struggling to reach his accustomed workload.</p><p>The 25-year-old worked up to playing 32 minutes in back-to-back matchups in early November. However, he was forced out by a lower back strain soon after, which <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-is-nic-claxton-playing-knicks-latest-update">required him to receive an epidural</a>.</p><p>Fernandez has emphasized throughout the start of the season that Brooklyn will be cautious with injuries. Given the nature of Claxton’s injury and the team’s low expectations, there should be no urgency to rush his progression.</p><p>Brooklyn will receive reinforcements at center next week, with Day’Ron Sharpe set to return to the lineup. The 23-year-old has been sidelined since training camp due to a hamstring strain.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nets’ Jordi Fernandez reveals Nic Claxton ‘management plan’ as center battles back injury

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nets-news-nic-claxton-noah-clowney-injuries-adding-frontcourt-struggles');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets struggling to find frontcourt continuity amid Nic Claxton, Noah Clowney injuries');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Brooklyn-continues-shuffling-frontcourt-rotation-as-injuries-pile-up.jpg"></figure><h1>Nets struggling to find frontcourt continuity amid Nic Claxton, Noah Clowney injuries</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-27T13:38:39-08:00">November 27th, 1:38pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-27T13:47:35-08:00">November 27th, 1:47pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Brooklyn Nets’ frontcourt <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-pair-injuries-could-aid-brooklyns-tank-coming-weeks">has yet to reach full strength this season</a>. And just as the team is close to welcoming a piece back, another will be sidelined for an extended period.</p><p>Day’Ron Sharpe is expected to return to the lineup within the next week, the team announced on Wednesday. The fourth-year center <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-dayron-sharpe-trendon-watford-miss-start-season-hamstring-injuries">has been out since training camp due to a hamstring injury</a>.</p><p>However, the Nets lost second-year forward Noah Clowney to an ankle sprain on Sunday against the Sacramento Kings. The 20-year-old will miss at least two weeks with the injury. Clowney turned in one of the best performances of his career before exiting in Sacramento, posting 18 points on a career-high-tying five-made threes.</p><p>Meanwhile, starting center Nic Claxton has been in and out of the lineup while battling a back injury. The Nets ruled Claxton out for Wednesday’s matchup with the Phoenix Suns, marking his fifth absence in their last seven games.</p><h2>Nets struggling to find continuity in frontcourt as injuries pile up</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Noah-Clowney-and-DayRon-Sharpe.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Sharpe’s return will offer a boost to Brooklyn’s backup center spot, which has belonged primarily to Ben Simmons early this season. The 2021 first-round pick emerged as a legitimate rotation piece in 2023-24, averaging 6.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.7 blocks on 57.1 percent shooting in 15.1 minutes per game. He ranked second in the NBA in rebounding percentage, behind only Andre Drummond.</p><p>Depth at the center position has grown essential as Claxton battles a lingering back ailment. After receiving an epidural during a recent three-game absence, the 25-year-old <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-news-nic-claxton-long-term-injury-admission-after-receiving-epidural">revealed he initially hurt his back during the summer</a>. He added that the injury will be “long-term” and require management throughout the season.</p><p>Claxton returned for matchups with the Philadelphia 76ers and Kings last week. However, he was a late scratch for Monday’s win over the Golden State Warriors and will be sidelined in Phoenix, with the team calling him day-to-day.</p><p>The Nets had high hopes for Claxton this season after signing him to a four-year, $97 million contract. Head Jordi Fernandez said the sixth-year center will step into an expanded offensive role. However, that’s yet to come to fruition, with the Georgia product facing an uphill battle to reach full strength.</p><p>Claxton missed the entire preseason due to a hamstring injury and opened the year on a minutes restriction before his recent back flare-up. He’s averaged 8.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.2 blocks in 24.5 minutes per game across 13 appearances.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
10.8	5.3	2.8	-	1.0

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
10.8	5.3	2.8	-	1.0

Nicolas Claxton news

Nicolas
Claxton news