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The Raptors didn’t have their A game, but didn’t need it against a dreadful Nets team. This game was in garbage time early.
The Toronto Raptors won their twentieth game at an earlier point than any season in team history with a workmanlike defeat of the Brooklyn Nets. A dominant Q2 provided an 18-point halftime cushion which the visitors never came close to overtaking.
Toronto crashed the century mark in scoring for the 14th straight time despite a dismal performance from the usually reliable DeMar DeRozan. Our MVP candidate missed a bunch of easy shots at the rim and could only muster 15 points before sitting all of Q4. Kyle Lowry continued his ultra-efficient shooting streak, going 8 for 12 (including 3 of 5 from deep) to lead the scoring with 23.
Well done, rotation guys!
Norman Powell came off the bench to pour in 21, with several of his baskets a direct result of one of his five(!) steals. Watch for Norman’s minutes to rise; he’s too good to stay on the pine. The Raptors had 13 steals on the night, as the Nets proved sloppy passers.
Dec 20, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Brooklyn Nets forward Justin Hamilton (41) dunks against Toronto Raptors center Lucas Nogueira (92) at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Nets 116-104. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Lucas Nogueira also made an impact on the scoresheet with 4 blocked shots. His mates added 5 more, so the defensive work was impressive. Jonas Valanciunas didn’t have Brook Lopez to battle with; the Nets center was held out by his coach. JV controlled the defensive boards, pulling down 11 in 22 minutes of PT.
Patrick Patterson also got the night off. He was the only Raptor who didn’t hit the floor. Fred VanVleet and Bruno Caboclo became the first Toronto players to see action in two games on the same day. They got a lot of burn with the Raptors 905 in the morning, as the team played at the Air Canada Centre. The game, a defeat for the 905, set a record for the highest attendance in D-League history.
Wrapping it up
For the Nets, this write-off of a season continued. Ex-Raptor Luis Scola got some cheers and a few buckets. Anthony Bennett has a long way to go, but he can’t complain about not getting his chances. He didn’t shoot well but pulled down 10 rebounds.
I’m getting spoiled if I complain about offensive misfires when our team scores 116. But DeRozan’s off-night, and that of Terrence Ross, was bothersome. The Raptors are heading out on a punishing 6-game road trip, including clashes with strong Western opponents like Utah and San Antonio. We’ll need better performances from those two.
The Raptors get a slight break before visiting Salt Lake City on Friday night.
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