Nets guard exits Boston loss with leg injury

Egor Dëmin will likely miss his next few games after leaving Tuesday's overtime loss in Boston with a right leg contusion. The Brooklyn Nets guard exited the game in the first half and did not return to the court.

The injury occurred while Dëmin was defending a drive by Paul George. The two players' legs collided, causing the Russian guard to limp on the next possession. Dëmin checked out with two minutes and 22 seconds left in the half. He walked into the locker room and was ruled out for the remainder of the night.

"I just got kneed in the muscle/bone area," Dëmin said. "Now it feels better than it did right then. I think I'll be ready in a couple of days."

Despite the injury, the Nets showed defensive improvement against the Boston Celtics. Boston is the NBA's best three-point shooting team, but Brooklyn held them to 11 of 41 from deep. The Nets had previously struggled with perimeter defense, entering the game with one of the league's worst records in that area.

Head coach Jordi Fernández said the team was pleased with their effort. "I'm happy that they shot 26 percent," Fernández said. "I still think that we contested the 3s for the most part."

The game at TD Garden was the first meeting between the Nets and Celtics since Boston traded Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers. The deal moved Brown to a roster that includes LeBron James, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey. The Nets passed on the opportunity to acquire Brown, opting to keep their current roster composition.

Dëmin expressed confidence in his recovery after the game. "I'll be good," he said. "I mean, it's nothing serious, so I'll be ready to go."