Duke and the Nets won't play the Trail Blazers on Thursday after the NBA postponed the game due to Brooklyn not having the league-required eight available players for that contest.
Even after the NBA postponed its most recent two scheduled contests for Sunday and Tuesday, the Nets won't return enough players from injury or COVID-19 health and safety protocols five days after their last game. Before Brooklyn's shutdown, Duke had been one of several young players who had seized hold of a larger role due to the number of absences on the roster. He started and logged 30-plus minutes in each of the Nets' last three games, averaging 11.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks over that stretch. Brooklyn's next game is set for Christmas Day against the Lakers.