Nets Shooting Guard Joe Johnson: 'I Don't Know' When I'll Play Next

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- When will Nets shooting guard Joe Johnson return to game action?

It could be on Wednesday night against the Trail Blazers, but the six-time NBA All-Star's status is up in the air at the moment.

The 31-year-old missed Brooklyn's 102-100 win over the Suns this past Sunday with a swollen quadriceps. He suffered the injury when he bumped into Clippers forward Blake Griffin in the Nets' 101-95 loss to the Clippers this past Saturday. According to the New York Daily News, Johnson said that the team's trainer informed him that the swelling on his quad could move down to his knee.

"I don't know, to be honest with you," Johnson said in regard to when he'll play next. "I'm gonna really take it one day at a time and see how I feel."

The 6-foot-7, 240-pounder didn't practice with the Nets at Arizona State University on Tuesday, which is certainly troubling. But the 11-year veteran did say that he's currently feeling "a lot" better than he did over the weekend.

"It's always frustrating when you can't be out there with the troops and not be able to compete and have fun with those guys, but right now I'm just trying to get ready for what's next to come," he said, according to the Daily News. "...I feel a lot better today than I did yesterday, so we'll see. I ain't in no rush. Obviously we're in a tight race. But the guys are growing and playing well. We'll see how long we can keep this thing going."

After meeting the Trail Blazers, Brooklyn will visit Denver on Friday and Utah on Saturday before concluding its road trip on April 3 in Cleveland.

Johnson, who has been nursing a sore heel since late February, has missed five game for the Nets this season. The team has gone 3-2 without him.

"I think we'll be all right," Johnson said. "I just have to get healthy and pretty much everything else will take care of itself."

The Nets -- who have already clinched a playoff spot -- are 41-29, which is the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn sits 2 1/2 games behind the Knicks and Pacers for the No. 3 seed and 2 1/2 games ahead of the Bulls and Hawks.

In his first season with the Nets, Johnson is averaging 16.4 points, 3.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 37.2 minutes per game.

Are the Nets significantly worse when Johnson isn't on the floor? Sound off with your thoughts and comments below...