Nets forward Yuta Watanabe was not on the team's injury report heading into Tuesday night's contest against the Bucks, but was a late scratch pregame due to back soreness.
The 28-year-old has appeared in 44 of the Nets' 61 games this season, all coming off the bench.
Here's everything we know about Watanabe's injury and the latest news on when he may return to the court.
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What is Yuta Watanabe's injury?
Watanabe missed Sunday's game against the Hawks and is set to miss Wednesday's matchup against the New York Knicks with "back soreness."
Jacque Vaughn isn't sure if Yuta Watanabe will be able to go tomorrow.
— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) March 1, 2023
MORE: How changed shooting form helped Yuta Watanabe become Nets' fan favorite
How long will Yuta Watanabe be out?
It's unclear how much time Watanabe will miss and can be considered day-to-day at this point.
Following the blockbuster Kevin Durant trade, he has struggled to earn minutes in the rotation, with his last game of double-digit minutes coming on Feb. 9.
Through 44 games, Watanabe is averaging 6.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 0.9 assists on 52.1 percent shooting and 48.2 percent from the 3-point line.
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Nets schedule 2022-23
Here are the upcoming games on the Nets' schedule.
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| March 1 | at Knicks | 7:30 p.m. |
| March 3 | at Celtics | 7:30 p.m. |
| March 5 | vs. Hornets | 6:00 p.m. |
| March 7 | at Rockets | 8:00 p.m. |
| March 9 | at Bucks | 8:00 p.m. |
MORE: How Watanabe's role will change following Durant trade
Yuta Watanabe career stats, highlights
- 4.5 points per game
- 2.5 rebounds per game
- 0.7 assists per game
- 0.4 steals per game
- 0.3 blocks per game
- 0.4 turnovers per game
- 13.5 minutes per game
- 44.6 percent shooting
- 39.9 percent 3-point shooting
- 69.0 percent free throw shooting
