Gameday: Raptors @ Nets, December 21st

After last night’s embarrassing loss to the Boston Celtics without Jaylen Brown, Toronto will be hopping right back in the saddle tonight against the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are one of the teams at the bottom of the NBA and they are fairly bereft of talent, and after a game like last night, Toronto needs an easier game just to get their gears back in order. Multiple starters being out with injuries plays a factor, but you can’t lose to the Brooklyn Nets even with the injuries that Toronto has.

Raptors Outlook

Record: 17-12 | 5th in Eastern Conference
Offensive Rating: 114.4 (13th) | Defensive Rating: 112.8 (10th) | Net Rating: +1.6 (11th)

It has been the offense that has let Toronto down over the last several weeks. The paint touches and scoring is not the same as it was earlier in the year, and with Poeltl in and out of the lineup, along with his screening, it has made it tough for the backcourt, namely Immanuel Quickley to produce at a good level. Against Brooklyn there can be no excuses, this is a game that Toronto has to win if they are to be taken seriously in any manner. These are the proverbial “gimme” games that good teams secure without a doubt, and if Toronto can’t answer the call against Brooklyn then they have to reassess things.

Quickley scoring 3 points last night is absurd and can not happen with any sense of regularity. The starting point guard who got an extension has to begin to play better on a consistent basis, there are too many nights where Quickley is practically invisible on the floor. Against a young backcourt in Brooklyn today, Quickley will have ample opportunity to get off good looks, and contribute something meaningful to this team.

Nets Outlook

Record: 7-19 | 13h in Eastern Conference
Offensive Rating: 112.1 (26th) | Defensive Rating: 117.6 (25th) | Net Rating: -5.5 (26th)

Michael Porter Jr. is living his dream in Brooklyn this season. Port Jr. has always been known for being a ball hog or shot chucker, and in Brooklyn he has the green light to get up as many shots as his heart desires. He hasn’t been some low efficiency, super negative player though like many thought he would be after being traded from Denver. This season he is averaging 25.7 points per game, 7.3 rebounds per game, on 62.3 percent true-shooting and 39.6 percent from three. He is a wonderful shooter, but his ability to play off-ball and flow into his jumper after running off screens is great. Similar to Payton Pritchard last night, a big scoring game from Porter Jr. could be the reason that Brooklyn hangs around and wins the game.

Outside of Porter Jr., Brooklyn doesn’t have many scoring threats that Toronto should fear. Cam Thomas is out with a hamstring injury and he was the only other true volume scorer on the team, so the priority just needs to be contain Porter Jr. and if Toronto does that then they will win this game handidly.