Nets could be in for rough night vs. 76ers as DAngelo Russells out with ankle injury

PHILADELPHIA — D’Angelo Russell’s importance as the Nets’ leader and so-called alpha is clearest when they struggle without him.And Brooklyn will be without him for Saturday’s game in Philadelphia, sidelined with a sprained right ankle.The Nets are winless without Russell since his arrival, and it remains to be seen just how long he’ll be sidelined.“It hurt.

It hurt [when Russell went down],” said Trendon Watford, a forward who has been backing up Russell since Ben Simmons was bought out.“I knew it was going to be tough without him in the fourth.

But I think it’s obviously rough when our starting point guard goes down.But knowing him, it’ll be alright.”Russell had guided Brooklyn to a 60-55 edge on the league-leading Cavaliers Thursday when he blew by Max Strus and tried to stop in the lane.

He twisted his ankle, hopping off the floor with 8:39 left in the third quarter.The Nets promptly surrendered a 28-11 run.He left the game a plus-9, with every other Nets starter a minus-7 or worse.“Yeah, very [damaging].

Veteran leader of this team, keeps things calm and centered.So for him to go down, that’s tough,” said Cam Johnson.

“But we’ve got capable guys across the board.I don’t think it should’ve gotten out of hand.”But it did, and often does when he’s off the floor — as he will be Saturday.Brooklyn is a minus-7.8 when Russell has been off the floor.

That’s the worst it has suffered from the absence of any player.Russell was on a knee scooter after the game, and has been ruled out vs.the 76ers — and perhaps longer.“We don’t know how long he’s going to be out, and I’ve been playing point guard anyway, so it’s not going to be too much different.

I’ll probably be getting more minutes,” said Watford, who’ll split point guard duties with 10-day signee Killian Hayes.“But [Russell] is scooting around, he’ll probably be alright.”But not Saturday.

And Russell is the one who stabilized the Nets and hel...