The NBA-leading Toronto Raptors handed the visiting Brooklyn Nets a 122-105 loss on Friday night.
The Nets took a nine-point lead in the first quarter and still led as late as under the four-minute mark of the second quarter on a Shabazz Napier 3-pointer for a 48-46 lead. But Toronto raced to a 64-53 halftime lead -- outscoring Brooklyn 36-18 in the quarter -- and dominated the third in taking a 24-point lead into the fourth quarter.
D'Angelo Russell led the Nets with 24 points and nine assists, plus six rebounds. Shabazz Napier was the only other Net in double figures with 15 points. Jarrett Allen had nine points and 12 rebounds.
After the Nets took a nine-point lead with a big finish to the first quarter, the Raptors turned the tables in the second quarter and closed the half strongly for an 11-point halftime lead.
Russell navigated the Toronto defense smoothly in the opening minutes, scoring all 12 of his first-quarter points in the first seven minutes and finishing the quarter with six rebounds and five assists as well. His jumper at the five-minute mark put the Nets up 21-17.
Two Fred Van Vleet jumpers spurred Toronto to a 25-21 lead before the Nets put together a 14-1 run. Napier knocked down a 3-pointer, then finished in transition off a Russell feed. DeMarre Carroll drew a foul on 3-pointer for a four-point play, and Spencer Dinwiddie's 3 made it 33-25 Brooklyn. The Nets went up 35-26 on a Napier drive before Greg Monroe scored for Toronto to close the quarter.
The Nets were still up 43-40 with 7:30 to go in the second quarter before the Raptors them 24-10 going into halftime, including a late 15-2 run charged up by three 3-pointers, taking a 64-53 lead.
The Nets were still within 84-72 with four minutes to go in the third quarter, but a 13-2 run over the next three minutes stretched the lead to 21 points as the Raptors got out in transition to pull away. Toronto took a 99-75 lead into the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
The Nets host the Boston Celtics on Monday, then embark on a two-game trip to Houston and Orlando.