Nets at Raptors
Coming off one of the best wins in franchise history, the Toronto Raptors look to grab control of their Eastern Conference first-round series when they host the Brooklyn Nets in Game 5 on Wednesday. Toronto had not won a road playoff game since 2001 and was banged up, but it rallied to steal Game 4 in Brooklyn on Sunday by an 87-79 score, tying the series at two games apiece. The Raptors lost a 17-point lead but held the Nets scoreless over the final 4:58 to take back homecourt advantage.
Perhaps the biggest key for Toronto was its ability to bottle up Brooklyn shooting guard Joe Johnson, who had seven points in 42 minutes after averaging 23.7 points in the first three games of the series. "Their defense was a big difference," Johnson told reporters after Game 4. "I mean, I looked out and there were three guys coming at me at once." DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points to lead the Raptors and is averaging 28 points over the last three contests.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBATV, WWOR (Brooklyn), TSN (Toronto)
ABOUT THE NETS: Brooklyn has a notable advantage in terms of experience, a factor many thought would eventually decide the series, but Toronto has outscored the Nets 88-66 in the fourth quarter over the last three games. "They're a younger team that doesn't have as much proper experience, but they ain't playing like it," guard Deron Williams said Sunday. Williams missed all five of his 3-point attempts in Game 4 as the Nets went 4-of-20 from outside the arc, falling to 25 percent for the series.
ABOUT THE RAPTORS: DeRozan has played through a hand injury for weeks, Kyle Lowry is limping through the series with knee issues and other Toronto players are banged up, but the club keeps coming. "We're really nicked up right now, so it was huge courage, really courageous by those guys," Toronto coach Dwane Casey said following Game 4. Among the others on the injured front is forward Amir Johnson, who left Game 4 with a knee injury before returning to polish off a 17-point effort.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Raptors F Terrence Ross, who averaged 10.9 points during the regular season, is 3-for-17 from the floor with a total of 10 points in the series.
2. Seven of the eight games between the teams during the regular season and playoffs have entered the fourth quarter with a point differential of five points or fewer.
3. Game 6 will be Friday night in Brooklyn.