Brooklyn Nets at Raptors: Preview & 3 keys to win

The Raptors commence a long homestand with a highly winnable tussle against one of the few Eastern Conference teams well and truly out of the playoff running.

After a lengthy break from NBA game action, the Toronto Raptors take the floor against the Brooklyn Nets. While the first game back from a long road trip is usually considered a “trap”, the Raptors have no excuse if they drop this match. The Nets are a pale shadow of the squad which broke our city’s heart in the playoffs two seasons ago. They rank 29th in scoring with 95.6 points per game. Their plus/minus ranks 28th, at minus_7.5.

This year’s Nets weren’t going anywhere anyway, then lost point guard Jarrett Jack for the season to a hideous knee injury on January 2. Since then, they have dropped seven of eight, including one to the Raptors which began our current four-game win streak. Stepping into the starter’s role at the point is Donald Sloan, a career backup. The shooting guard is Wayne Ellington, who’s been in the league for 6+ years without making any kind of a splash.

Moving up to the frontcourt, we find some talent. Their headliner and top scorer is Brook Lopez, a veteran centre who will give Jonas Valanciunas all he can handle at both ends of the court. Fortunately, JV and Bismack Biyombo don’t need to beat Lopez; a tie will be fine. Joe Johnson at small forward epitomises all that’s got wrong for Brooklyn. He’s nowhere close to the scary monster of the playoffs, and seems content to score to his average. Thaddeus Young would look great in Raptor red. James Johnson will need a fine defensive game to keep him under control.

The Brooklyn bench struggles mightily. We might see Andrea Bargnani, but he’s not worth the effort of booing anymore. If your starting backcourt averages a total of fewer than 11 points and 5 assists, what does that say about the players further down the depth chart? Shane Larkin started at point in their last game against Toronto, and since has lost his job. So has Brooklyn’s coach, Lionel Hollins, leaving Tony Brown as the interim. General Manager Billy King was “reassigned”, meaning no one is in charge.

Brooklyn is vying with Phoenix as the NBA’s most dysfunctional team, and own outright the title of worst organization.

The Raptors should be able to punish this sad excuse of a team, and will if they…:

1. …play all four quarters. Yes, it’s a hackneyed expression, but excellence is a habit. Toronto has come out flat in so many games, and recently has been unable to maintain Q4 leads. They need to be merciless. I’m tired of seeing the Raptors allow teams to hang around.
2. …roll over their rotation. Our second unit guys are overdue to establish their own identity, and the best way to do that is to be more than a “hold the margin” group. Terrence Ross and Patrick Patterson need to establish the long ball, then dribble past their defenders when they venture out to the 3-point line. Penetrate and dish to the waiting hands of Biyombo. Good things will result.
3. …pack the paint on D. Brooklyn is next to last in 3-point shooting percentage, so they can only stay in the game when their big men score. They also grab a significant 10.9 offensive rebounds per game. If our defenders sag correctly, and minimize second chance opportunities, the Nets won’t have much of a Plan B.

Next: Raptors best ever draft selections

Let’s hope this game is better than the unwatchable affair less than 2 weeks ago. Our team is home, and well-rested. Toronto 112 – Brooklyn 89.