The Brooklyn Nets will be without center Kevin Garnett for a third straight game Wednesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies, the team announced.
Garnett has been dealing with back spasms, but the Nets (29-29) haven't been overly concerned even though Garnett is averaging a career-low 21.0 minutes and has appeared in only 49 of the team's 58 games.
After a slow start, however, Garnett has turned it on in 2014 and is shooting 57 percent from the field since the new year. He has also anchored Brooklyn's defense all season.
Rookie Mason Plumlee will make his third straight start in place of Garnett.
Despite not having Garnett against the Chicago Bulls on Monday night, the Nets held Chicago to 80 points and ended up with a season-high 19 steals.
Point guard Deron Williams said coach Jason Kidd challenged the other big men to pick up their defense play in Garnett's absence.
The Nets, who were 10-21 entering January, will look to move a game over .500 for the first time this season on Wednesday night against the Grizzlies.
