Empire Sports Media · Mar 1, 2023
Yuta Watanabe returns for Nets crucial match against Knicks
The struggling Brooklyn Nets will get a much-needed boost as Yuta Watanabe returns to the lineup after missing the last two games with back soreness.
The Japanese forward is a 48.2 percent three-point shooter this season and will likely get some minutes off the bench as Ben Simmons (left knee soreness) and Edmond Sumner (personal reasons) remain out.
Watanabe’s three-point shooting and energy on the floor could help the Nets break the Knicks’ vaunted defense.
The Nets (34-27) have lost their last three games to fall out of the fifth seed in the East. They trail the 36-27 Knicks a full game while holding a slim 1.5-game edge over the seventh-placed Miami Heat (33-29).