BROOKLYN — Normally when the Raptors get punched in the mouth the way they did in New Orleans a few nights ago, they punch back next time out.
But there was no punch in the Raptors at all until things were well out of hand for the second consecutive game.
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Right from the opening tip, it was apparent the homeside Brooklyn Nets wanted this one more, turning the Raptors back every time they tried to get to the rim, while knocking down their own shots at will at the other end on their way to an eventual 114-105 win which painted the Raptors in a better light than their overall performance deserved.
Through a quarter the Nets were shooting a ridiculous 75% from the field and had made six of their first seven threes.
The Raptors meanwhile were shooting a woeful 24% from the field as they dug themselves a huge hole in that first quarter outscored 41-17.
Typical of the night were a couple of plays midway through the second quarter.
A room-service rebound under their own basket with the Nets already in retreat went awry when both O.G. Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr. went for it resulting in the ball going off Trent Jr. and out of bounds and another Brooklyn possession.
Minutes later an even more comedic moment played out as rookie Christian Koloko, on his way up to finish off a lob, got tripped up by teammate Juancho Hernangomez and never even got airborne.
It was that kind of night for the Raptors.
In New Orleans, the Raptors were down 73-47 at the half. The Raptors were incrementally better in Brooklyn, down 72-49 after 24 minutes.
At their worst the Raptors were down 36 in this one and at one point in the third quarter got that deficit down to 15 only to see the Nets re-assert themselves and the lead grow back into the 20’s.
They got it back down to seven with just over a half minute left in the fourth but the rally came too late.
Both Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam began the fourth quarter with five fouls apiece, 10 of the 14 fouls the Raptors had through three quarters.
Still down over 20 at that point, Nurse had nothing to save his two vets for and both started the fourth quarter as well. Both played the remainder of the game.
For the game the Raptors were outscored at the three-point line 33-18.
Kyrie Irving led all scorers with 27 in this one. O.G. Anunoby had 21 for Toronto while Siakam had 24.
NURSE ON BARNES
Scottie Barnes was coming off perhaps his worst game as a pro in that beatdown in New Orleans.
In 21 minutes, Barnes was a woeful 1-for-7 from the field, pulled down just one rebound and salvaged some pride with five assists.
Things certainly improved individually for Barnes with a change of venue even if the Raptors’ collective fortunes didn’t. He finished the night with 15 points and nine rebounds.
Nurse says he just wants Barnes to focus on his strengths.
“Listen, for me his intangibles are really what make him special and that’s what I have been talking to him more about. I’m like ‘Do your things that make you special.’ You’re a good defender, a pass-first guy, you’re a rebounder, you bring it on the break, you do a little of a lot of things and that’s what I’m trying to get him to do,” Nurse said.
“And then focus on the defensive part of it because he can be a special defender when he’s locked in and then try to stay aggressive offensively. I know that’s a lot of stuff, but mainly I just want him to be a connector out there – high level.”
As for his seeming lack of enthusiasm this season compared to last year when it was all new, well, Nurse said that was almost predictable.
“That’s what I said to you guys in the pre-season,” Nurse said. “That was his challenge. It is for all of us to be honest when you’re going through the grind of it.
“Your first time around everything is new and different in every game and every opponent and all that stuff, but now it becomes more job-like,” Nurse said. “You got to learn how to grow with that professionally.”
NOW THAT’S A LAYOFF
You have to admire the perseverance of T.J. Warren.
Warren was out the entirety of the past two seasons. Initially diagnosed as plantar fasciitis, his foot injury was later upgraded to a stress fracture requiring surgery.
That cost him all of one season.
But the foot still wasn’t right, and he required a second surgery and that cost him a second year.
Warren was back in an NBA game for the first time in over two seasons last night and scored 10 points in 12 minutes as he attempts to get back in some sort of game rhythm.
Pre-game Warren said there was not a single moment over the two years that he didn’t think he would make it back, but he was clearly emotional talking about that time with his voice cracking on a few occasions as he explained what it was like to be away from the game he loved for so long.
ONE MORE LINEUP CHANGE
Nurse made a third consecutive change to his starting lineup taking Thad Young out and inserting Christian Koloko.
