Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors 01-17-17 ScoreThe Brooklyn Nets have now lost eleven, yes, eleven, straight games. The Nets lost by double digits yet again 119-109 to the Toronto Raptors. This was another winnable game for Brooklyn as they held the lead at halftime.
The third quarter, no surprise, got the best of Brooklyn once again. Up by three at the half, Brooklyn got outscored by ten points in the third giving them a seven point deficit heading into the fourth. Brooklyn did not win the fourth and, as a result, lost the game.
The Raptors were on fire tonight as they shot 52.2% form the field and 10-19 from long range. The Raptors tore apart the Nets defense yet again and decimated them with their sharp shooting.
DeMar DeRozan and Cory Joseph led the way in the game with 36 and 33 points respectively. Kyle Lowry got a day off but it did not seem Brooklyn could make the most of it. Joseph notched up 33 points, four rebounds, and four assists on the night.
The leading scorer for the Nets was Brook Lopez with 28 points on 11-23 shooting. It is about time Brook got more than 20 shots in a game. He is a scorer so feed him the ball. Brook even played like a big man today as he grabbed eight rebounds and blocked two shots.
Brooklyn keeps letting games slip away from them. It is getting frustrating for the players, the coaches, and the fans. Brooklyn will win a game soon. For the time being, enjoy the fight and the development and the experience all of these players are getting.
Grading the Players
Brook Lopez, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and Caris LeVert get A’s on the night. Lopez led the way for Brooklyn with 28 points on 11-23 shooting and 6-6 free-throws. Brook getting to the line and getting over 20 shots is key for Brooklyn. No one on the team seems very capable of putting up points lately so give the ball to the one stone in the lineup that will guarantee you production each night. Lopez’s eight rebounds and two blocks showed the fans he came to play for the win.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson gets his second straight A as he scored an impressive 14 points on the night on 5-8 shooting. RHJ also brought down eight rebounds, dished out three assists, stole a ball and blocked a shot. Ever since rumors of him being on the trading block this weekend, RHJ has brought it to the court. He is showing Brooklyn he is worth holding on to.
Caris LeVert had an impressive night scoring 14 points on 6-8 shooting and 2-3 from downtown. LeVert also had three rebounds, four assists, and two steals. This kid is for real and everyone loves to watch him play. It is only a matter of time before we see this kid become who he can truly become.
Honorable Mention: Quincy Acy scored five points in three minutes on his final day of his 10-day contract. I believe this is not the first time he has scored more points than minutes played on said contract. He bring the energy each time he is on the court and many can argue that he deserves another 10-day contract.
Spencer Dinwiddie gets a D on the night. Dinwiddie was granted another start tonight and simply did not produce. Dinwiddie scored five points and had a mere three assists and four turnovers. Not the greatest ratio in the world to say the least. Dinwiddie needs to start to make the most of his opportunities before his playing time starts to decrease.
Joe Harris, yet again, gets an F. As a starter, Harris scored zero points and had zero rebounds and zero assists. The only other statistic he had was a lone steal. When his leash as a starter will be pulled is up in the air, but he cannot keep being this unproductive.
Brooklyn has two days rest after a bombardment of games the past two weeks. The Nets head down to NOLA to take on the Pelicans in hopes of redemption for the game a weeks ago and in hopes of finally ending this miserable losing streak. The Raptors look to make it five straight wins when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.