The Long Island Nets opened a four-game Western road trip Friday night with a 109-96 NBA G League loss to the Salt Lake City Stars at Lifetime Activities Center-Bruin Arena.
The loss was the third in a row for the Nets (18-10), whose lead in the Eastern Conference has been cut to one game over the Lakeland Magic, Capital City Go-Go and Westchester Knicks.
Injury issues with the parent Brooklyn Nets have left Long Island a bit short-handed, as the G-Nets are dealing with injury problems of their own.
Long Island was without two-way player Theo Pinson for the second straight game and lost forward Mitch Creek to Brooklyn on Friday after he was signed to a 10-day contract.