NEWARK, N.J. - Charlotte Bobcats guard D.J. Augustin will have an injection soon intended to treat a slight crack between two bones in his right big toe, Augustin told the Observer on Sunday.

Augustin, the Bobcats' assist leader and second-leading scorer, had to leave in the first quarter of a 97-87 loss to the New Jersey Nets. Augustin has suffered from chronic pain for about 10 days, and it became so severe about six and a half minutes into the game that he sat down for the night.

"It's two bones in my big toe, and it's kind of cracked," Augustin told the Observer. "The shot would fill in the crack, and give it time to heal -- take some of the pain away."

Augustin said that every time he's pushed off lately, he feels severe discomfort. The foot finally gave way in the first quarter when he lost the ball out of bounds during the Bobcats' fourth-straight loss.

"The pain was too bad -- I just couldn't get (the ball) back, it hurt so bad," Augustin recalled.

If the treatment is successful, Augustin could miss a week or less. It appears he's definitely out for Tuesday's home game against the New York Knicks and likely Wednesday's road game against the Washington Wizards.

The Bobcats were already shorthanded Sunday, with power forward D.J. White missing the Nets game with a bruised knee. White hopes to be back for the Knicks game.

With or without Augustin, the Bobcats (3-14) were in trouble Sunday. The Nets (5-16) are a notoriously slow-starting team. New Jersey's 28-21 lead was just its third this season at the end of the first quarter. Giving up 48 percent shooting to the Nets in the first quarter was almost unthinkable, the way that team has played previously.

Nets guard Deron Williams finished with a near-triple double of 19 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Nets rookie MarShon Brooks added 20 points and Charlottean Anthony Morrow came off the Nets' bench for 19.

Rookie Kemba Walker led the Bobcats with 16 points; Gerald Henderson added 15.

The Nets have little post-up game this season, with center Brook Lopez out with a broken right foot. But New Jersey's starting guards, Williams and Brooks, changed that immediately by constantly going inside and demanding the ball while being guarded by Augustin or Walker, each 6-foot-1 or shorter.

Williams and Brooks combined for 23 of New Jersey's 58 first-half points on 10-of -19 shooting.