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MarShon Brooks, Gerald Wallace out for Brooklyn Nets

Kyrie Irving leads the young Cavs into Brooklyn on Tuesday.

Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

The Nets will play the Cavaliers Tuesday night and neither MarShon Brooks nor Gerald Wallace will be suited up. Their sore left ankles remain a problem. Brooks, who had a light workout Monday, is already out and Wallace, who "practiced to tolerance" on Monday, according to the team, was declared out Tuesday. It's his fifth missed game since being injured at the end of the season opener against Toronto. Avery Johnson has said he'd like to have Wallace go through a full practice before he suits him up again for a game.

The Nets play the Celtics in a nationally televised game Thursday but Avery Johnson seemed to indicate both may be out till the weekend trip out west.

The Cavaliers are 2-5 and have lost three straight, but they have one of the NBA's top young backcourts in Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters (both 20 years). They're averaging a combined 38 points a game while shooting better than 50 percent from deep. Their defense leaves a lot to be desired, however. Their front court, like the Magic's, is undermanned. After Anderson Varejao (12.7 points and 13.0 rebounds) and Tristan Thompson (8.0 points and 7.9 rebounds), there is a huge drop-off. And Cleveland's defense in the paint has been horrible, as John Schuhmann tweets, "CLE opponents are shooting 74.9% in the restricted area. League avg. is 58.2%. Next highest opponent % is 64.0% (CHI)."

What could go wrong? For one, Thompson had a career game last season against Kris Humphries.