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Game Day: Raptors vs. Nets

Jay Satur - Raptors.com

The Raptors seek a fourth straight win and perhaps a small measure of revenge when they face the Brooklyn Nets at Air Canada Centre on Wednesday. Note the special start time for this one! (8 PM ET, TSN, ESPN, FAN590).

Projected Starting Lineups

Raptors: Kyle Lowry (G), Terrence Ross (G), Landry Fields (F), Amir Johnson (F), Jonas Valanciunas (C)

Nets: Deron Williams (G) Sergey Karasev (G), Joe Johnson (F), Kevin Garnett (F), Mason Plumlee (C)

Injury/Roster Report

Raptors: DeMar DeRozan - Torn left abductor longus tendon (out)

Nets: Brook Lopez - lower back strain (out)

Three Pointers

Raptors (Game Notes)

  • The Raptors shouldn't need to dig too deep for motivation in this one. Tonight represents the first meeting between these two teams since their thrilling seven-game 2014 playoff series that went right down to a final possession and ended in heartache for the Raptors. Beyond revenge, the Raptors should want to send a message to a Nets team that currently represent the next best threat in the Atlantic and increase their division lead to a whopping nine games with a win. The Raptors also enter this one with the Eastern Conference lead by a full game over the Wizards -- they've led or been tied atop the East for a franchise-record 43 consecutive days (Nov. 4-Dec. 15).
  • Are we starting to see a return to solid Raptors defence? Toronto has backslid at that end of the floor since DeMar DeRozan went down and sits 13th in the league allowing 102.9 points per 100 possessions, but they've been much better over their last four games at 98.1. That could coincide with the insertion of the more defensive-minded Landry Fields into the starting lineup, but the "glass half empty" types will undoubtedly point to the competition. The Cavs are the only team they've faced with a upper tier offence (4th in Off. rating -- 107.9) during that stretch, which resulted in a Raptors loss. They've won three straight since, against the Knicks (22nd-ranked Off. rating at 100.9), Pacers (28th, 97.5) and Magic (25th, 98.9). The Nets come into tonight's game with a 23rd-ranked offensive rating (100.2).
  • Think this game needed any extra juice? It's also the Raptors' second annual Drake Night, with last year's edition (also against the Nets), bringing an unbelievable energy to Air Canada Centre on January 11th. With fans clad in those black and gold long-sleeved tees and the team's Global Ambassador on hand to keep the crowd hyped up, DeRozan scored 26 points and pulled down seven rebounds as the Raptors romped to a 96-80 win.

    Expect to see the team wearing their purple retro jerseys for a one and only Wednesday night appearance this season and a white out in the crowd wearing these new t-shirts. Look for all the Drake-fueled goodness from tonight right here on Raptors.com post-game.

    A look at this year's official @welcomeovo #DrakeNight shirt going to all fans at our Dec. 17th game vs. Brooklyn! Get your tickets at raptors.com. #WeTheNorth #RTZ #Toronto #Raptors #NBA

    A photo posted by Toronto Raptors (@thetorontoraptors) on Dec 12, 2014 at 9:57am PST

Nets (Game Notes)

  • The Nets are coming off a 95-91 home loss to the Miami Heat on Tuesday, as their fourth-quarter comeback from down as many as 13 points in the final frame came up short. In a game that featured a 29-minute first-quarter delay due a leaking roof at Barclays Center, Mason Plumlee had 21 points and nine rebounds for Brooklyn, while Deron Williams finished with 15 points and 11 assists.
  • The Nets have been dealing with injuries and searching for consistency this season, which has resulted in several changes to their starting five. Brooklyn has used six different lineups in the last seven games with 10 different players getting a start over that stretch. The one constant has been point guard Deron Williams.
  • Incredible stat courtesy of the Nets Media Relations team on just how close things were between these two teams last season. After a season series split and a seven-game playoff series decided on a last-second stop, the aggregate score for the Raptors and Nets was 1,070-1,070.