The Brooklyn Nets struggled again without forward Cam Johnson, suffering a narrow 102-101 defeat against the Los Angeles Lakers, pushing their record to 0-9 in his absence this season. Johnson, who has missed eight of the last nine games due to a right ankle sprain, was not in the lineup for the second consecutive game. He had previously shown his importance by scoring 24 points in his only game during this stretch, leading the team in scoring.

With Johnson on the floor, the Nets have an offensive rating of 112.4, which drops significantly to 104.2 when he is off. Head coach Jordi Fernandez emphasized Johnson's multifaceted contributions, highlighting not only his shooting ability but also his capacity to create plays off the dribble. The void left by Johnson has prompted increased three-point shooting attempts from other players, with several stepping up in his absence. Meanwhile, Johnson's stellar performance this season has drawn interest from multiple teams ahead of the trade deadline, but Brooklyn's management is set on maximizing his value.