From the New York Times: The rookie Richard Jefferson thought the worst. The veteran Kerry Kittles thought, "Here we go again."

The news today was not the worst, at least relative to the Nets' history of injuries, but it put a familiar damper on a heady time for a team that has improved to 9-3.

In the first half against the Clippers at the Staples Center, Jefferson, the team's top reserve forward, sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee, and Kittles, the starting shooting guard, strained his left side. Nets officials today listed Jefferson as doubtful for Saturday's game against the Sacramento Kings and Kittles as questionable.