Nets’ Mikel Brown Jr. pops up as surprise scratch for Pelicans matchup

Brooklyn Nets fans hoping to see Mikel Brown Jr. and Egor Demin play their first extended minutes together on Wednesday will have to wait. While Demin will return from a six-game absence vs. the New Orleans Pelicans, Brown was ruled out due to an illness.

Brown missed the Nets’ 130-93 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday because he is not yet cleared for back-to-backs. While Brooklyn fans have been eager to see Brown and Demin — the team’s first lottery selections of the Brooklyn era — play together, the back-to-back top-10 picks have barely shared the floor 10 games into the season.

Demin and Brown played four minutes together during the Nets’ second game of the season, a 125-121 road loss…