Nets Roll Out Heavy-Usage Starting Five for Saturday Clash in Cleveland

According to Underdog NBA, the Brooklyn Nets are officially rolling out a starting lineup of Egor Demin, Keon Ellis, Michael Porter Jr., Julius Randle, and Day'Ron Sharpe this Saturday against the Cavaliers.

This lineup sounds like a random 2K MyLeague simulation in year four, but it is very real and currently carrying the entire offensive load in Brooklyn.

"Underdog NBA tweeted: 'Lineup alert: Nets will start Demin, Ellis, Porter Jr., Randle, Sharpe on Saturday.'"

In their season-opening 110-103 loss to the Hornets on Wednesday, Randle and Porter Jr. basically played two-on-five. Randle dropped 33 points, eight boards, and seven assists in 38 minutes of work. Porter Jr. added 26 points and seven rebounds while jacking up 11 threes in his 34 minutes on the floor.

If you are holding tickets on Randle or Porter Jr. player props, this starting five is a giant green light. The usage rates for those two are going to look like James Harden in 2019. Demin, Ellis, and Sharpe are out there to set screens, play defense, and get out of the way.

The real question is how long this high-wire act can last. Porter Jr. and Randle both have injury histories that read like a medical textbook, with MPJ's back issues and Randle's various hand and ankle problems over the years. Playing them 34 to 38 minutes a night in October is certainly a choice by the coaching staff.

Brooklyn heads to Cleveland on Saturday night to test this experiment against a real defense. Expect Randle and MPJ to keep firing, because right now, the Nets literally do not have another option.