Raptors rally for 2nd straight win over struggling Nets

Published Mar. 1, 2022 10:19 p.m. ET

Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) — Scottie Barnes had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Gary Trent Jr. scored 24 and the Toronto Raptors rallied to beat Brooklyn 109-108 on Tuesday night for their second win over the struggling Nets in two days.

Pascal Siakam fouled out with 18 points and Malachi Flynn scored 15 for the Raptors, who were coming off a 133-97 victory in Brooklyn on Monday.

Thaddeus Young and Khem Birch each had 11 points for Toronto. Trent went 9 for 9 at the free-throw line.

James Johnson scored 19 points, Seth Curry had 18 and LaMarcus Aldridge added 16 for the Nets. Cam Thomas had 11 and Goran Dragic scored 10.

Brooklyn led 96-90 after Aldridge scored with 5:25 left, but Toronto reclaimed the lead with a 10-0 run.

Curry’s 3-pointer with 50 seconds remaining tied it at 103, but he fouled Trent at the other end and the Toronto guard broke the tie by making a pair of free throws with 30 seconds to go.

Barnes blocked Curry’s shot out of bounds, and Curry missed another attempt before Barnes grabbed the rebound. Trent sealed it by making four more free throws in the final 18 seconds.

Johnson’s buzzer-beating 3 wasn’t enough for the Nets, who have lost four of five.

The Nets played again without Kevin Durant, who is expected to return Thursday against Miami after being out since Jan. 15 because of a sprained left knee ligament.

Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons and Joe Harris were all out for the Nets, while center Andre Drummond sat because of a sore left knee. Drummond’s injury is not considered serious, assistant coach Jacque Vaughn said.

Vaughn was in charge for a second straight game after head coach Steve Nash entered the health and safety protocols Monday.

For the first time since Dec. 13, the Raptors played a home game without any capacity limits on fan attendance. Toronto played a handful of December games at 50% capacity, but games since Dec. 31 had either been played before no fans, or small crowds of a few hundred people. Tuesday’s game drew 18,903, about 900 short of a sellout.

Before tipoff, the Raptors honored first-time All-Star Fred VanVleet with a brief ceremony at center court. VanVleet sat for the third time in five games because of a sore right knee. He also missed Monday’s win in Brooklyn.

The crowd was much less welcoming to Dragic. The veteran guard began his season with the Raptors but left the team for personal reasons and was later traded to San Antonio. Dragic was booed when he came on in the second quarter, and jeered whenever he touched the ball.

Toronto led 32-25 after one but Dragic, Curry and Bruce Brown each scored seven points in the second as Brooklyn took a 59-55 lead into halftime.

Young’s 3-pointer gave the Raptors a 77-75 lead with 3:18 left in the third, but Brooklyn closed the quarter with a 14-4 spurt, taking an 89-81 lead to the fourth.

Toronto matched a season high by making 18 3-pointers Monday, but the Raptors struggled from outside the arc Tuesday, shooting 7 for 23.

LATE DROUGHT

Neither team scored in the first 3:23 of the fourth quarter, a drought that ended when Trent connected for Toronto.

TIP-INS

Nets: Vaughn spoke to Nash on Tuesday and said the head coach was in good spirits. Vaughn did not know whether Nash was experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. … Brooklyn used its 35th starting lineup of the season.

Raptors: Head coach Nick Nurse said F OG Anunoby won’t need surgery to repair a fractured right ring finger. Anunoby, who saw a specialist Monday, sat for the fourth straight game. … Former Raptors guard Muggsy Bogues attended the game.

UP NEXT

Nets: Host the Miami Heat on Thursday night.

Raptors: Host the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night.

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