Raptors at Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are making things interesting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff picture and are thriving of late behind Brook Lopez and Deron Williams. The Nets will try to post their sixth straight win when they host another team looking to improve its position in the East in the Toronto Raptors.
The Nets are locked in a three-team battle for the No. 7 and 8 spots in the East with the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics while the Charlotte Hornets and the Indiana Pacers hang around the fringes of the race. The Raptors have already secured their spot in the postseason and are tied with the Chicago Bulls for No. 3 in the East thanks to a three-game winning streak. Toronto is getting it done of late without point guard Kyle Lowry (back spasms), who is out indefinitely, leaving more of the points for DeMar DeRozan and Lou Williams. The Raptors could decide the bottom of the East by themselves with their last seven games against Brooklyn, Boston (twice), Charlotte (twice), Miami and Orlando.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN2 (Toronto), YES (Brooklyn)
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (45-30): DeRozan struggled to six points on 1-of-10 shooting in a home win over the lowly Los Angeles Lakers last Friday but rebounded with a 41-point outburst in a win over Houston before going 6-of-12 from the field in an easy win over Minnesota on Wednesday. Toronto is looking for that consistency as it tries to lock up the No. 3 spot. “We’re fighting for home court, we’re fighting for respect,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey told reporters. “…We’re fighting for something, too. If we don't come out and play, no matter what the record is, anybody can beat anybody in this league.”
ABOUT THE NETS (34-40): Lopez’s surge has directly coincided with Brooklyn’s stretch of seven wins in the last eight games, and the veteran center is trying to drag his team into the playoffs. Lopez is averaging 26.9 points on 61.7 percent shooting while hauling in 9.3 rebounds and blocking 3.1 shots in that span. He “slumped” to 18 points on 9-of-15 shooting and seven rebounds at New York on Wednesday but did manage to score the game-winning basket by tipping in Williams’ miss with two seconds left, putting the Nets in position to challenge for the No. 7 spot.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Raptors have taken two of the three meetings this season, including a 127-122 overtime win in Brooklyn on Jan. 30.
2. Nets G Joe Johnson is 12-of-26 from 3-point range over the last four games.
3. Toronto C Jonas Valanciunas is 20-of-30 from the field in the last three games.