When: January 18, 2016; 7:30 PM EST
Where: Air Canada Centre; Toronto, Ontario, Canada
TV: YES Network
Radio: WFAN 660 AM
It’s fitting that the the second half of the Brooklyn Nets’ 2015-16 season starts in Toronto against the Raptors, which is, of course, where the Nets won their last playoff series, and their only one (so far, hopefully) of the 3+ year period in which they’ve been in Brooklyn. The first half of the year for the Nets concluded on Saturday night in an embarrassing 114-86 loss to the Hawks which had interim coach Tony Brown frustrated with his team after the game.
It was a tough weekend for Brooklyn, as the Nets wasted decent 36-or-so-minute efforts on both Friday and Saturday in losses to the Trail Blazers and Hawks following a much-needed mid-week win over the Knicks. It won’t get much easier tonight against Atlantic Division-leading Toronto, which has won four games in a row and is starting a seven-game homestand.
The Raptors, even without summer signee DeMarre Carroll (knee) due to a recent surgery, went 4-1 on their recent road trip and seem to be rounding into form. Free agent-to-be DeMar DeRozan — whom the Nets have been reported to have interest in — and Kyle Lowry have each been scoring at prodigious rates to anchor an offense that is seventh in the NBA in points per shot, meaning it’s a pretty efficient unit.
Probable lineups
BKN- Donald Sloan (PG), Wayne Ellington (SG), Joe Johnson (SF), Thaddeus Young (PF), Brook Lopez (C)
TOR- Kyle Lowry (PG), DeMar DeRozan (SG), James Johnson (SF), Luis Scola (PF), Jonas Valanciunas (C)
Final thoughts
Obviously, the undermanned Nets — who will be without former Raptor Andrea Bargnani (ankle) as well tonight — have significantly less talent than Toronto and have been struggling mightily as of late. But, it is a divisional game against a team the Nets know very well — and usually play well against, outside of their 17-point January 6th loss to the Raptors in Brooklyn — so a strong bounce-back effort isn’t out of the picture, it’s just unlikely.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
