Brooklyn Nets: Player grades from blowout loss in Toronto
By Phil Watson
Treveon Graham made his first start Friday night for the Brooklyn Nets and just the fourth of his career in his third NBA season, but it was a night to forget.
Graham had trouble staying with Kawhi Leonard at the defensive end and offensively struggled to hit open shots.
It was just his seventh appearance of the season after missing 39 games with a hamstring injury, but Graham has not shot well since coming to Brooklyn, going all the way back to the preseason where he was 11-for-31 overall and 2-for-12 from deep.
On Friday, Graham made only 2-of-7 overall and just 1-of-6 from 3-point range and for the season is at 7-for-35 (20 percent) and 3-for-22 (13.6 percent) respectively.
He came to the Nets ostensibly as a 3-and-D prototype with a career 3-point percentage of 43.8 percent over two seasons with the Charlotte Hornets. It has not yet translated to New York City.
Given how poorly his teammates shot, the upset stat of the night may be the nine assists D’Angelo Russell posted.
Russell played very well against the Raptors on both ends — All-Star Kyle Lowry scored just four points in 23 minutes — and his early offense propelled Brooklyn to its early lead.
But it was a night upon which Russell had very little help and one guy can’t win by himself.
For DLo, he topped the 20-point mark for the sixth time in his last seven games as he continues to slowly put those questions about consistency to bed.