Raptors at Nets
The Toronto Raptors look for their fifth consecutive win when they hit the road to face the Brooklyn Nets on Friday. The Raptors have opened up a 12 1/2-game lead at the top of the Atlantic Division and hope to pull away even further by beating the second-place Nets for the fourth time in their last five regular-season meetings. Toronto has built its commanding advantage by winning all eight of its games against teams within the division thus far and aims to improve to 22-8 against Eastern Conference foes.
Brooklyn coach Lionel Hollins is on the hot seat as the Nets have faded out of the playoff picture by losing 11 of their last 13 games. Brooklyn has lost its last three by double digits, including a 123-84 setback to the Los Angeles Clippers and a 108-73 defeat to the Utah Jazz to become only the fifth team in NBA history to drop back-to-back games by 35 points or more. To make matters worse the Nets have lost six in a row at the Barclays Center and are 4-17 against teams with a current winning record.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN (Toronto), YES (Brooklyn)
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (31-15): Lou Williams went 9-of-9 from the foul line en route to a game-high 27 points in Wednesday's 119-102 win over the Sacramento Kings as Toronto's bench scored 55 points. "We don't care who gets the credit at the end of the night," Williams told reporters. "One night it's going to be me having a great night and obviously we have two all-stars who we expect to have great nights a lot." Greivis Vasquez added four 3-pointers to finish with 18 points as the Raptors buried a season-high 17 triples.
ABOUT THE NETS (18-27): Joe Johnson scored a team-high 26 points and Jarrett Jack added 14 to go along with a career-high 13 assists in the 113-102 loss to the red-hot Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. "Joe's tendonitis was able to cool down a little bit," Hollins told reporters. "Jarrett was able to sit for a couple of days so they came out with a lot more pep." Brooklyn's medical staff expects Mirza Teletovic to make a full recovery after blood clots were discovered in the forward's lungs last week, which ruled him out for the rest of the season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Raptors are 22-4 against teams below .500.
2. The Nets haven't won at home since Dec. 29, 2014.
3. Toronto has knocked down 26 3-pointers in its last two games.