The Brooklyn Nets will be down a key piece on Friday night when they face the Utah Jazz, as Michael Porter Jr. is set to miss the game due to personal reasons. It’s the second time this season Porter has been sidelined for personal matters, and notably, he still hasn’t suited up for the second leg of a back-to-back all year.
Porter is coming off a monster 38-point performance in Brooklyn’s narrow 107-103 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday. He’s been the engine for the Nets offensively, averaging 25.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game while shooting an efficient 48.2% from the field and nearly 40% from deep across 38 appearances.
When he’s on the floor, Brooklyn has a fighting chance. When he’s not?
The numbers tell a different story.
The Nets are 0-8 without Porter this season, and it hasn’t been pretty. They’re losing those games by an average of 16.1 points, a clear indicator of how much his presence matters on both ends of the court.
And they’ll need to find answers quickly-Friday’s game isn’t just another date on the calendar. It carries weight in the draft lottery standings.
Brooklyn is currently tied with the Washington Wizards for the fourth-worst record in the league, sitting just two games ahead of the Jazz, who are sixth in the lottery pecking order. Both teams are in the midst of tough stretches-Brooklyn riding a seven-game losing streak, and Utah navigating its own challenges.
The Jazz will also be shorthanded on Friday. Lauri Markkanen is out for rest, while Jusuf Nurkic and Kevin Love are sidelined with illness.
Markkanen, who just returned from a seven-game absence due to illness and a conditioning ramp-up, has been Utah’s go-to scorer this season. He’s averaging 27.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists on 47.9% shooting and 36.4% from three over 35 games.
Without him, Utah has struggled mightily-posting a 1-12 record in games he’s missed.
There’s also a layer of long-term consequence for the Jazz. Their 2026 first-round pick is owed to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but it’s top-eight protected. That makes every game-and every loss-a potential swing in their future draft capital.
For the Nets, they’ll also be without rookie Noah Clowney, who’s dealing with a lower back issue. That further thins out a rotation already missing its top scorer and primary offensive weapon.
With both teams missing key contributors and lottery implications looming large, Friday’s matchup may not feature star power, but it’s far from meaningless. For franchises trying to build for the future, nights like these can quietly shape what’s to come.