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Jonas Valanciunas killed the Nets the last time these teams matched up, scoring 20 points and grabbing 13 rebounds |
When: 7:30 PM EST; Monday, March 10th, 2014
Where: Barclays Center; Brooklyn, NY
TV: YES Network
Even though both the Raptors and Nets played games and got wins last night–Toronto in Minneapolis against the T-Wolves and Nets in Brooklyn against the Kings–there is no way either of these teams will be overlooking tonight's important divisional matchup between the Atlantic leaders in the Raptors and 2nd place Nets. Brooklyn took the first of the matchups between these teams back in November but the Raptors have won the last two, both games in which the Nets were in the 2nd half of a back-to-back.
Toronto, like the Nets, didn't start the season too well, as the Raptors sat at six games under .500 on December 6th and four under on December 23rd, after which they won five games in a row to take control of the weak Atlantic Division. Behind career years from DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, Dwane Casey's team has surprised many around the league and has a slim grasp on the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference behind the Heat and in front of the Bulls and Wizards.
Brooklyn, on the other hand, is four games behind Toronto for the division lead and is trying to make up ground in the conference lost in the dreadul beginning of the season. A win tonight would be really good for that in regards to the Atlantic and East but would still require some more luck and many more wins to actually make a difference.
Probable Lineups
TOR- Kyle Lowry (PG), DeMar DeRozan (SG), Terrence Ross (SF), Amir Johnson (PF), Jonas Valanciunas (C)
BKN- Deron Williams (PG), Shaun Livingston (SG), Joe Johnson (SF), Paul Pierce (PF), Kevin Garnett (C)
Final Thoughts
Paul Pierce (shoulder) and Kevin Garnett (back) are good to go for the Nets, according to YES' Chris Shearn, but Andrei Kirilenko (ankle) is out.
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