Brooklyn Nets endure ugly, yet important, loss to Toronto Raptors, Losing 116-86
That's not to say Brooklyn is or has been mailing it in lately — like so many of us did at times in school or do now at work. In fact, the Nets have done the opposite all year. They've been worker bees. They've been prized students. That's what's made them so frustrating — yet at the same time — admirable amid the 2024-25 campaign.
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But ever since reacquiring their first round picks, Brooklyn's been waiting for a singular moment, which after tonight, now lies less than 10 games away. It's a lavish prize that they paid for months ago, had to dredge through a rough season to get to, and haven't had in 15 years.
After losing to the Toronto Raptors tonight, it got a tad more glossy too.
Things started this evening for the Nets in a similar fashion to Monday's game. That's for the better if you're all-in on the tank — and the worse for anyone still around hoping to watch some good hoop. Backboards and back irons shuddered in fear as the Nets threw up an assortment of bricks to begin a second straight game, opening 4-16 from the field and 1-8 from deep.
It would have been a rare triple-less period from Brooklyn had Dariq Whitehead not made it in from Long Island in time. He finished with nine points, a steal, and an assist while shooting 3-9 from deep tonight in his first game up from the G-League since March 4th.
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In fairness, Toronto's defense moved well out of the gates too. They stayed in Brooklyn's grill from start to finish. Jordi Fernández, a ball pressure connoisseur himself, noticed.
'I think their ball pressure really set the tone throughout the game,' the coach said. 'They didn't shoot like a great percentage...so we should have given ourselves a chance, and we didn't, because we didn't take care of that possession game. And it's plain and simple.'
Toronto leaped out to a 32-18 first period lead as a result, also benefitting from some tough makes off the fingertips of guys you'd never heard of before. Orlando Robinson (4-4 FGs) and Jonathan Mogbo (2-3 FGs), welcome to Brooklyn.
But Toronto also got a few from the guys you have. Scottie Barnes, who I guess didn't get the message that this is a 'tank-off,' not only played tonight but hit a buzzer beater to close out the first. He finished the game with 15 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. He also brought some of that strong ball pressure Fernández touted!
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While Brooklyn responded slightly better in the second frame, putting up 27 points on .450/.308 splits, Toronto dropped another 30-piece. Bringing over another theme from the Dallas game, it was their inability to hold onto the rock that kept them behind. While trailing 62-45 at halftime, the Nets sat with 13 turnovers leading to 21 extra Raptor points. By the end of the game, they accumulated 19 turnovers leading to 30 points.
'I mean, that's what they do,' Trendon Watford said postgame. 'They got a lot of guys that like to pick up and guard 94 feet. They force you to break out plays, get in the paint, and make some plays, and I think we struggled with that tonight.'
Even after D'Angelo Russell, who had been scoreless through the first 24 minutes, woke up in the third, putting in a quick five points, Brooklyn and Toronto floated forward still with a 10-15 point barrier separating them on the scoreboard. The Nets cleaned up their turnovers in the third, giving away only four. Alas, holding onto the ball is only half the battle, and frankly, just the bare minimum. Brooklyn couldn't finish the possessions they saved, shooting just 9-23 from the field in the period.
Amid the rough Russell night, the ball hit the ground like a cement brick after hopping all month. The Nets tallied only 16 assists tonight, making it their second fewest in a game this year. Exactly 10 days ago, they matched a franchise record for consecutive games in a season with 30+ assists.
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Naturally, the Raptors went into the fourth up 93-68...but anyone who knows Toronto knows they sit on a tanking time bomb all game which usually goes off in the final quarter. While Brooklyn's tanking strategy has been harder to identify, Toronto's became clear over the past week or so. In order to fumble wins (or give young players more minutes if you ask Darko Rajaković) the Raptors often handcuff their best players to the bench down the stretch of games.
So in the fourth, the question soon became, when will the Raptors hit the detonator?
Well, whether it was Jim Gordon applying a signal blocker to the explosive in time for the Batman to fly it out over the bay, or just the Nets missing failing to find any offensive momentum all game, they waited too long. Toronto indeed subbed out Barnes with just over seven to play and RJ Barrett with six, but the Nets couldn't mount a comeback.
Against a five of Cole Swider, Jamal Shead, Ochai Agbaji, Robinson, and Battle, Brooklyn mustered only 10 points in the final 6:15 despite leaving Claxton, Russell, Ziaire Williams, Keon Johnson, and Jalen Wilson out there for much of the run.
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'We were not comfortable,' Fernández said. We didn't get into anything. We were playing at halfcourt and we should have been better. We should have been better with the pressure release, and to get into counters and so forth, but we were not. When you do that and you get that many points of turnovers, it's really hard to win a game.'
Brooklyn eventually called it themselves, putting in Maxwell Lewis, Clowney, and Dariq Whitehead for Russell, Claxton, and Williams with about three to play. The contest then got the quiet ending it deserved, being a war between two teams who can't hurt each other at this point, only themselves.
Final: Toronto Raptors 116, Brooklyn Nets 86
Milestone Watch
Nic Claxton became the third player this season with 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, five-plus offensive boards and five-plus blocks in a game, joining Anthony Davis and Daniel Gafford.
With that Nic Claxton's first assist tonight, he notched his 40th for the month, setting a career high for assists in any month. Cam Johnson also has a career-high dimes in a month this March.
This was the Nets' 50th loss of the season, the second consecutive season of 50 losses. The last time that happened was in 2017-18.
Women's Impact Night
The Nets also celebrated Women's Impact Night this evening in Brooklyn. WNBA champs Jaylyn Sherrod and Breanna Steward were in attendance as the Barclays Center played a variety of montages commemorating the New York Liberty's title run this past summer.
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Players also wore Liberty seafoam colored headbands, sleeves, and socks tonight. Jordi Fernández even addressed us pregame wearing a t-shirt of the same color.
'It was an amazing run, and I was able to experience it in a different way than I've ever experienced it before,' Fernández said pregame. 'I was very fortunate to fall into a winning team that way. So, obviously this is my team, the team that I'll support...The impact they've had on the community, I think it's very important for me,' the coach went on. 'I bring my kids and we'll watch amazing basketball when we watch the Nets play and when we watch the Liberty play.'
Next Up
NBA: Brooklyn Nets at Los Angeles Clippers
Does James Harden vs the Brooklyn Nets mean anything to anyone anymore? No? Well, let me raise you to Ben Simmons vs the Brooklyn Nets...for the first time might I add.
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That probably won't interest anyone either. Regardless, the Los Angeles Clippers will be in town on Friday night, featuring both Ben10 and The Beard. While most of you will surely be rooting for a loss, we have to hope it won't be as ugly as the last one Brooklyn suffered at LA's hands.
Boxscore: Toronto Raptors 116, Brooklyn Nets 86 - NBA
Game Highlights: Toronto Raptors 116, Brooklyn Nets 86 (Video) - NBA
Turnovers part of the Nets recent struggles (Video) - Chris Shearn & Frank Isola - YES Network
Orlando Robinson scores 23 points in the Raptors' 116-86 victory over the Nets - AP
Orlando Robinson gets start, helps Raptors rout Nets - Reuters
Nets improve NBA lottery chances after ugly loss to lowly Raptors - Brian Lewis - New York Post
Ben Simmons tells The Post how he's putting Nets calamity behind him - Brian Lewis - New York Post
Examining players who could be Nets' lottery pick - Brian Lewis - New York Post
Nets Notebook: Day'Ron Sharpe sidelined vs. Raptors with right knee sprain - C.J. Holmes - New York Daily News
Raptors' Darko Rajakovic reveals reasoning for Scottie Barnes' limited fourth-quarter minutes - Erik Slater - Clutch Points
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