Raptors 103, Nets 96
NEW YORK -- Rookie Norman Powell scored a career-high 30 points as the Toronto Raptors concluded the best regular-season in team history by rallying from an early deficit for a 103-96 victory over the Brooklyn Nets Wednesday night.
Powell, who has thrived with increased playing time in recent weeks, shot 12-of-18 from the field and made eight straight attempts at one point. He set career highs for field goals, 3-pointers (5) and rebounds (9) while playing 36 minutes.
With the second seed in the Eastern Conference locked up, the Raptors (56-26) did not bring stars Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan on the trip. They also left Jonas Valanciunas, DeMarre Carroll and James Johnson in Toronto.
Reserve Terrence Ross added 24 for Toronto. Delon Wright contributed 18 in his first career start and Jason Thompson had 12 as the Raptors ended the regular season with six straight wins and 36 victories in their last 46 games since Jan. 4.
Nearly two years after getting a one-point win in Game 7 of the first round in Toronto, the Nets (21-61) concluded their worst season since moving from New Jersey in 2012. They ended the season with a 10-game losing streak, marking the 16th double-digit losing streak in team history and the first to end a season since 1999-2000.
Bojan Bogdanovic made seven 3-pointers and scored 29 points for the Nets, who had nine available players due to rest and injuries. Sean Kilpatrick added 12 points for Brooklyn, which has lost seven of eight meetings with Toronto since beating them in the playoffs.
Toronto missed its first seven shots and gave up the game's first 12 points. The deficit grew to 21-4 before the Raptors began their comeback and by halftime they held a 49-47 lead.
The Raptors scored the first seven points of the third run and held a 78-66 lead going into the fourth. The Nets were within 94-90 when Markel Brown hit a 3-pointer with 4:29 remaining but the Raptors highlighted a 9-2 run. Wright made a behind the back pass to a cutting Ross for a dunk with 2:55 left, giving the Raptors a 98-90 edge and clinching the victory.
NOTES: Toronto GM and president Masai Ujiri said no matter what happens during the playoffs coach Dwane Casey deserves to be retained. Casey is completing the final guaranteed year of his contract with an option for next season and said he was "flattered" to hear Ujiri's comments. ... Multiple reports said the Nets were interested in talking Jeff Van Gundy in their coaching search, and new GM Sean Marks is interested in Ettore Messina and Ime Udoka, whom he worked with in San Antonio. ... Toronto's win over Philadelphia on Tuesday gave the Raptors the fifth-best record in the league and pushed the Clippers into the sixth spot, impacting a pick swap between the Nets and Los Angeles. The swap is part of the 2012 sign-and-trade the Nets did to obtain Reggie Evans, and Los Angeles had the option to swap if it did not finish in the top five. The Clippers will get the 33rd overall pick while the Nets will select at No. 55.