When: 7:30 PM EST; Tuesday, April 22nd, 2014
Where: Air Canada Centre; Toronto, ON, CA
TV: NBATV (blacked out in the NY metropolitan area)/YES Network
Last season, in their opening round series against the Bulls, the Nets had homecourt advantage and won Game 1 in blowout fashion, only to eventually fall to the better-coached Chicago team in a seventh game loss at home in Brooklyn.
One year later, Brooklyn is in another first round series–this time against the Raptors–but didn’t have homecourt advantage, that is, until they took down Toronto in Game 1 on Saturday at the Air Canada Centre. With that 94-87 triumph, the Nets took a 1-0 lead in the series and immediately nullified the road disadvantage their seeding handed them. Now, the pressure is on the playoff-inexperienced Raptors to grab at least one win before the series heads to Brooklyn.
If the Nets can manage to steal a second game on the road in Toronto, then they will be in absolute control of this series, with the ability to win just two of three at home and still clinch a second round berth.
However, the Raptors, without as many of the playoff jitters that were clearly present in Game 1, will probably be much more ready for the atmosphere and excitement in Game 2. That means DeMar DeRozan most likely won’t go 3-for-13 from the field again and the Raptors won’t commit 17 more turnovers in yet another game.
Toronto will play tonight’s Game 2 with more poise than they did Game 1, and it’s up to the Nets to make sure that doesn’t interfere with them taking a commanding 2-0 lead in this series. Poise and ability to stay calm during the playoffs are not problems in the slightest for this highly-experienced Brooklyn team that isn’t going to be phased by anything it has to deal with in the postseason.
Brooklyn will have to continue to utilize the many matchup advantages that allowed the Nets to dominate in the paint in Game 1, specifically Joe Johnson (24 points) on the post against any Raptor defender. Deron Williams (24 points) was also effective on Kyle Lowry, who simply wasn’t able to stick with him on defense, while Shaun Livingston (10 points) was unstoppable in the lane. Add in some improved three-point shooting (Nets were 4-for-24 on Saturday) and tonight’s game should turn out in a similar to how Game 1 did: in a Nets win.
Probable Lineups
BKN- Deron Williams (PG), Shaun Livingston (SG), Joe Johnson (SF), Paul Pierce (PF), Kevin Garnett (C)
TOR- Kyle Lowry (PG), DeMar DeRozan (SG), Terrence Ross (SF), Amir Johnson (PF), Jonas Valanciunas (C)
Final Thoughts
The Raptors will start tonight’s Game 2 with intensity and will be much more smarter with the basketball than they were during Game 1. Also, the Air Canada Centre is going to be raucous again. Putting those two factors together means that getting a second straight win isn’t going to be easy for the Nets. However, if they can overcome those disadvantages, they can firmly push Toronto up against the proverbial wall as the series goes to Barclays for two games. Brooklyn needs to take advantage of the opportunities it has to take control of this series.
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