Raptors at Nets
The Brooklyn Nets' latest slide reached double digits with their 10th straight setback on Sunday, and the path isn't getting any easier when they host the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday. The Nets were torched 137-112 at home by the Houston Rockets and will put that defense up against a Toronto team that leads the Eastern Conference in scoring average.
The Raptors are averaging 120.7 points during a three-game winning streak and showed off the depth of their offense during a 116-101 win over the New York Knicks on Sunday in which they scored 42 points in the second quarter and began the third with a 25-2 run. "We’ve got some good pieces that fit. They know where each other are, (there is) the continuity from over the years, the playing with each other, knowing each other, all that stuff adds together," Toronto coach Dwane Casey told reporters. "And they’re playing with a tremendous amount of confidence on the offensive end." The Nets got a look at that offense on Friday, when they went into Toronto and suffered a 132-112 loss. Brooklyn is last in the NBA in scoring defense, surrendering an average of 114.9 points, and allowed its most points this season on Friday in Toronto before beating that mark in Sunday's drubbing.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Toronto), YES (Brooklyn)
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (27-13): Toronto star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan sat out the fourth quarter after scoring 28 points in the first three against the Nets on Friday and got another early night when he sat and watched the reserves close it out on Sunday. "It’s definitely great," DeRozan told reporters. "When you count as many games in the fourth quarter that I’ve sat out, I think it’s beneficial for guys to get rest and reps. The younger guys are gonna play a little bit, so it’s definitely good." The Raptors, who are 12-7 on the road, are kicking off a three-game trip at Brooklyn.
ABOUT THE NETS (8-32): Brooklyn surrendered 21 made 3-pointers to the Rockets and suffered through a 32-19 disparity in free-throw attempts to continue a pattern of defensive shortcomings. "We just could never stop them," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters. "I don't think we stopped them the whole night. I think we tried a lot of different things, tried changing coverages, and couldn't find a solution." Brooklyn tried to go shot-for-shot with Houston from the outside and tied a franchise record with 44 3-point attempts but made only 15 as the two teams tied an NBA record with a combined 88 3-point attempts.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Nets SG Sean Kilpatrick was held to a total of 11 points on 4-of-16 shooting in the last two games.
2. Raptors PF Patrick Patterson (knee soreness) sat out the last two games and is day-to-day.
3. Toronto PF Jared Sullinger (foot surgery) is participating in full practices and could make his season debut this week.