The Brooklyn Nets ended the 15-game winning streak of the Toronto Raptors; winning 101-91 and leading by as much as 13 points for all of the second half.
The Nets now head into the All-Star break winning their third straight game and the sixth of their last eight. Not bad for a team that was under a ton of scrutiny a couple of weeks ago for not playing well. Brooklyn rose to the occasion as they came out victorious during an important stretch in a competitive Eastern Conference. This win gives the team and Nets fans a good feeling before the all-star break.
Before we all got that warm feeling of victory after the game, it’s important to acknowledge that they held Toronto pretty much in check all game defensively; keeping them to 19 points in the first quarter. The final result was 91 points for the Raptors while shooting 38 percent from the field and 30 percent from three.
One of the weirdest moments of the game was head coach Kenny Atkinson challenging a possession play with 4:52 left in the first. A call he would lose, that left many wondering what exactly was the plan there?
Nonetheless, the Nets would get their largest lead of double digits in the second quarter. However, even without Marc Gasol, the Raptors would chip away at the Brooklyn lead but never actually take the lead in the game. Brooklyn did not help themself by only shooting about 40 percent field and 25 percent from beyond the arc. But their valiant effort on the defensive end did not allow for their offensive woes to compromise the game.
The fourth quarter wound up being the dagger in Toronto’s win streak. Players like DeAndre Jordan and Garrett Temple started scoring ferociously, and then came Spencer Dinwiddie, who finished with 17 points and nine assists, came up with five straight points to get the crowd believing they can win.
How about Caris Levert with his 20 points and seven rebounds. This past week he has shown much improvement. Even better, Levert is averaging 24 points this week alone. For someone who half the fanbase was ready to get rid of, I’m glad to see him doing well.
Things are looking good right now after a rough stretch several weeks ago, when many proclaimed the season over. Beating good teams will help build confidence for the team going forward. Most importantly, a team that never quits will always continue to head in an upward trajectory.
Great, great win Brooklyn.