More on Caris LeVert Injury
Michael Gallagher: Caris LeVert (right thumb surgery) and Garrett Temple (right knee contusion) are both available for this evening's game vs. Toronto, per Nets.
Michael Gallagher: Caris LeVert (right thumb surgery) and Garrett Temple (right knee contusion) are probable for tomorrow against the Raptors.
After missing seven weeks following right thumb surgery, Brooklyn Nets guard Caris LeVert is expected to return to the lineup against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, league sources tell ESPN. LeVert, ramping up his workouts lately, will return to a team that has lost four straight -- including 123-111 to Dallas on Thursday -- to drop to 16-17 and in seventh place in the East. Brooklyn has been without two of its best players --LeVert and Kyrie Irving -- for an extended period.
After hurting himself on Nov. 10, LeVert sat out his 23rd straight game Monday in Minnesota, the site of his horrific foot dislocation almost exactly a year to the day earlier. But LeVert worked out before the game and is on the brink of returning to action. “Looked really good, is feeling really good,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We’re getting close.”
The Nets were scheduled to fly to Dallas right after Monday’s game in Minnesota. They won’t practice Tuesday, but they have a full practice slated for Wednesday. That workout could be the last step in getting LeVert back out on the court. “We’ll see. That’s a big one,” Atkinson said. “That’ll be more, a bigger five-on-five group. So we’re just getting real close. We want to make sure we check all the boxes and [there are] a lot of boxes to be checked. Personally I don’t want to rush into anything. And I know we need him back but I want this to be a health long-term thing for the rest of the year.”
After doing contact with only coaches on Monday, LeVert said he’s finally done with teammates both on Tuesday and again Thursday morning before Brooklyn hosted the rival Knicks at Barclays Center. That would imply that his long-awaited return is right around the corner. “It feels good to get out there and practice a bit with the guys. They’ve been playing extremely well, so I can’t wait to get out there with them,” said LeVert. “Just getting my legs up under me (is the next step). I was out a month, a month-and-a-half or so – I don’t really know how long it was – but just getting my rhythm, getting my legs back.”
Malika Andrews: Nets’ Caris LeVert said he got his cast off of his thumb this morning and is now wearing a small splint. Now, the rehab process begins.
Brian Lewis: Kenny Atkinson on LeVert: "I feel bad for Caris. It’s bad luck, especially with what he went through last year. I feel for him. And obviously it’s a big blow for us; our 2nd-leading scorer, probably our best perimeter defender on that first squad, first unit. Big hit." #Nets #NBA
Shams Charania: The Brooklyn Nets fear guard Caris LeVert has ligament damage in his right thumb and he is visiting specialists for further evaluation, league sources tell @The Athletic @Stadium.
Greg Logan: Caris LeVert is OUT in Utah with left thumb sprain.
Kristian Winfield: Lots of love for Caris LeVert in his first game back from injury pic.twitter.com/0WA2ZnDzWc
Jayson Tatum: 🙏🏽🙌🏽
Brian Lewis: LeVert will be available for the #Nets tomorrow.
Anthony Puccio: Kenny Atkinson says both Caris LeVert and Allen Crabbe will practice with the Long Island Nets.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Brooklyn’s Caris LeVert (foot) will return to five on five practice soon and there’s optimism the gifted guard can return to Nets lineup prior to the All-Star Break, league sources tell ESPN.
Injured Nets guard Caris LeVert had another encouraging workout before Friday’s game in Orlando. But with the NBA All-Star break exactly a month away, coach Kenny Atkinson was noncommittal on whether LeVert might return before then. “I’m not going to speculate,” Atkinson said. “I don’t want to give you something and be wrong. That’s the last thing I want to do. No specific update. “[He’s] progressing. I know he had another great workout [Friday]. That’s as far as my medical background goes, but progressing nicely.”
Brian Lewis: Caris LeVert had another encouraging workout before tonight’s game in Orlando. But with the #NBA All-Star break a month away, Kenny Atkinson was noncommittal on whether LeVert might return before then. #Nets
Anthony Puccio: Caris LeVert is on the bench (!)
LeVert, who appeared at the event without the assistance of a walking boot and had sneakers on both feet and walked without a noticeable limp, was notified of the extension while heading for the escalator and reacted with a Carmelo Anthony “oh really?” meme face. After the event, LeVert congratulated Dinwiddie in his Instagram story saying, “Well deserved 100.”
Michael Scotto: Caris LeVert injury update: "I know he's in the gym shooting. I'll say that. That's about as much as I can say. But progressing, on schedule and looking forward to having him back," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said Saturday night.
Michael Scotto: Caris LeVert: "When they carted me off the court, and then we went in the back, they had to put it back in place, so that was actually really painful. That was probably the most painful part of it all." pic.twitter.com/fyPEysTvaG
Michael Scotto: Caris LeVert discussed the moment he dislocated his foot and his reaction from thinking it was a "bad sprain" to realizing what actually happened. pic.twitter.com/MyUYbvHpV4
Michael Scotto: Caris LeVert on a timetable for his return: "I don't really know. We're not really talking about dates right now or recovery time. We're just, like I said, focused on each day, maximizing each day, get better each day. Um, but uh..." Nets PR interjects. "Ok guys, thank you." pic.twitter.com/io5mTsNsfp
Anthony Puccio: Caris LeVert said he texted D’Angelo Russell right after the injury and told him, “We have everything we need, even with me going down. We just need everything from everybody.” (On @Brooklyn Nets Periscope)
Greg Logan: #JarrettAllen & #AllenCrabbe in starting lineup for @Brooklyn Nets. Kenny Atkinson says @Caris LeVert not on this trip but might travel with team soon because he’s “walking around a little bit,”
Coach Kenny Atkinson blamed a poor defensive effort but admitted the Nets have a huge void to fill without LeVert, who was a dominant ballhandler and top defender. “It’s a big void,” Atkinson said. “It’s both ends. He and D’Angelo [Russell] were sharing it so well and they had good chemistry. We’re going to have to look at what fits best with each lineup. We started Allen [Crabbe] tonight, but going forward, we have to look. Do we want more ballhandlers in the lineup? Do we want more shooters? The returns tonight weren’t great, so we’re going to have to figure out the lineup.”
Joe Harris admitted they might have experienced an emotional hangover after losing LeVert. “The significance of how the injury happened, him being really the heart and soul of our team to this point, our go-to scorer,” Harris said. “We miss the energy and enthusiasm he brings. That’s a void that we miss a lot.”
Asked if he faces the biggest adjustment of anyone, Russell said, “I’ve played [23] minutes without him. It’s going to take a little bit of time to figure out what we’re going to do. But as of right now, I don’t know, so I’m not really going to speak on what we can do. We’ve just got to figure it out.”
At halftime, the Nets had tears in their eyes fearing the worst for their rising star, Caris LeVert, after he was carried out on a stretcher to a local Minnesota hospital. Would he be out for the season? Was his career in jeopardy? “Obviously, Kenny was pretty broken down because, whether he wanted to admit it or not, Caris is probably his favorite player,” Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie told The Athletic after serving meals to teenagers at the Julia Richman Educational Complex on Tuesday.
A few hours after losing LeVert and then losing to the Timberwolves 120-113, teammates and staffers, while boarding the flight home, were equally stunned and rejoiced to see their franchise cornerstone headed back to Brooklyn. “We were discussing who was going to stay back with him when they said they could mobilize his leg and he could travel,” one Nets staffer aboard the flight said. “It felt like hope.”
Jeff Zillgitt: From the Nets on Caris LeVert: Diagnosed with a subtalar dislocation of the right foot. No surgery needed. He will return this season.
Jeff Stotts: Per Nets PR, Caris LeVert suffered a dislocated talus (ankle) but did NOT suffer any fractures. Ligament damage did occur but will NOT require surgery. This is a massive relief and sets up LeVert for a possible return later in the year.
Gordon Hayward: Best wishes and prayers to @Caris LeVert on a speedy recovery! The journey back is hard, but you’ll be stronger in the end. Please reach out if you need anything!
Greg Logan: It was just one regular-season loss that didn't matter, but you could feel sense of loss & utter devastation in @Brooklyn Nets locker room among players who truly care for @Caris LeVert. @Jared Dudley says he's seen players come back from similar injuries & believes LeVert will.
“That was really difficult to see. Obviously, we’re close-knit, we’re a family,” an emotional Joe Harris said, pausing as he tried to compose himself, searching for words that wouldn’t come. “Just seeing that in person like that, it breaks your heart. It really does. “We were all really torn up about it. Caris has been the heart of our team with the amount of work he’s put in. … His attitude never wavered from the moment he’s gotten in here. He’s been just as good of a person as he is as a ballplayer, an even better person, as a matter of fact. That’s why it really hurts to see that.”
Harris’ eyes were red from crying, and he wasn’t the only one. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had been openly crying while awaiting a free throw, and when the Nets had gathered at halftime — LeVert’s gruesome injury still fresh, having occurred just 3.7 seconds before the break — the locker room was eerily quiet.
LeBron James: Young Fella prayers to you! Speedy recovery and even stronger impact coming soon for sure! 🙏🏾 @CarisLeVert
Zach LaVine: Come back stronger dawg! 🙏🏽@CarisLeVert
Nets Daily: From Nets PR Injury Update: Caris LeVert sustained a right leg injury during the second quarter of tonight's game at Minnesota. LeVert is being taken to a local Minneapolis hospital where he will undergo a full evaluation. Further updates will be issued as available.
Chris Paul: Prayers out to @Caris LeVert!!! Been watchin him play this season and I’ve loved every bit of it! Hate to see him get injured 🙏🏾
Enes Kanter: 🙏😔 @Caris LeVert Prayers Up...
Nicolas Batum: Prayers up to @Caris LeVert. Get well soon
Quincy Acy: Prayers for my brother @Caris LeVert man That hurts my heart! Get well youngin, love you my brother 🙏🏿
Caris LeVert suffered an awful ankle injury while attempting a block during the Brooklyn Nets’game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night. The Target Center fell silent as LeVert was carried off the floor on a stretcher. The injury is extremely tough to watch, calling to mind Gordon Hayward’s season-ending leg injury in the Celtics’ season opener last year.
Michael Gallagher: Nets players still visibly shaken. Atkinson too. This sucks.
Kyle Kuzma: Prayers up for @Caris LeVert ....was killing this year too smh 🙏
Jon Krawczynski: An eerie hush falls over the Target Center crowd as Caris Levert crashes to the ground with a serious leg injury. Stretcher immediately comes out. Scary situation.
Chris Herring: Ah man... LeVert's ankle looks like it went totally the wrong way. Almost like Hayward's leg, just with the ankle instead. So awful.
Anthony Puccio: Nets players all with their arms over their faces. Timberwolves are praying as a team. Horrible
CJ Fogler: Damn
Brian Lewis: #Nets could be shorthanded on the wings for tonight's home finale vs #Bulls. Joe Harris (left ankle soreness) is now questionable while Caris LeVert (right foot tendinitis) is downgraded to out, along w/ Carroll & Whitehead.
Anthony Puccio: #Nets injury Report for tomorrow night's game vs. LA Clippers: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (right groin strain) and Caris LeVert (right knee sprain) are OUT.
Brian Lewis: Caris LeVert and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson are both out tomorrow. #Nets
