Raptors at Nets
In need of a win to snap out of a funk, the Toronto Raptors will try to take advantage of the worst team in the NBA when they visit the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday afternoon. Playing once again without leading scorer DeMar DeRozan (ankle), the Raptors fell 102-94 at Orlando on Friday and have dropped eight of 10 overall.
"Everybody's mad. Everybody's frustrated," Toronto guard Norman Powell told reporters. "We're out there trying to get a win, we're out there working, leaving it all on the floor. The ball is not bouncing our way right now. Everybody is frustrated." Powell was one of three Raptors with 18 points in the loss and has performed admirably while filling in for DeRozan in six of the last seven games (17.3 points). He was scoreless in 18 minutes off the bench at Brooklyn on Jan. 17, but the Raptors - without star point guard Kyle Lowry - had more than enough to pick up a 119-109 victory, their seventh straight over the reeling Nets. That was one of 19 losses over the last 20 contests for Brooklyn, which extended its current losing streak to nine with Friday's 106-97 setback against Indiana.
TV: Noon ET, Sportsnet One (Toronto), YES (Brooklyn)
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (30-21): Already short-handed due to DeRozan's absence, Toronto also lost forward Patrick Patterson in the first quarter of Friday's loss due to a knee contusion. Lowry had been filling just about every available gap - scoring at least 30 points in a career-high four straight games entering Friday - but seemed to hit a wall with a 5-of-20 shooting effort. He did make two 3-pointers and needs three more to pass Morris Peterson (801) for first place on the franchise list.
ABOUT THE NETS (9-41): Brook Lopez has carried Brooklyn all season but often receives very little help, a point that was hammered home in the loss to Indiana as he scored 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting but saw his fellow starters combine for 11 while going 3-of-20. That opened up an opportunity for some reserves to chip in, and guard Sean Kilpatrick recorded 18 points - matching his best total since Dec. 26. Bojan Bogdanovic, who has made 3-of-16 3-pointers over his last four games, was given the night off to rest but shot 47.1 percent from long distance in Brooklyn's first three meetings with the Raptors this season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Lopez is tied with Jason Collins (532) for third place on the franchise list for games played.
2. Lowry has attempted 36 3-pointers and 25 shots inside the arc over his last three contests.
3. Toronto's average margin of victory against Brooklyn this campaign is 13.7 points.