Nets look to rebound vs. Raptors

Slumping squad visits seven-win Toronto Thursday

December 19, 2024 By John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Coach Jordi Fernández wants his Nets to show more fight when they try to snap their latest losing streak in Toronto Thursday. AP Photo by Pamela Smith

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The Brooklyn Nets learned a valuable lesson against the NBA-best Cleveland Cavaliers at Downtown’s Barclays Center Monday night.

“Fight” to the finish, or there will be “consequences”.

Nets coach Jordi Fernández made that point crystal clear during the postgame presser following Brooklyn’s no-show performance in a 130-101 defeat to the Cavaliers.

One day after dealing off fearless floor leader Dennis Schröder, the Nets (10-16) burst out to a 7-0 lead against former Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson’s squad.

That was the end of the competitive portion of the contest as Cleveland scored 37 of the next 47 points en route to handing the Nets their season high-tying third straight loss and sixth in seven games.

“We started the game well, then we got punched in th e face, and then we didn’t have the togetherness, the fight to get back and keep punching,” said the 41-year-old rookie coach.

Brooklyn should have an opportunity to punch its way back into the win column north of the border Thursday as it visits the struggling Toronto Raptors (7-20), who have lost five in a row, four straight at home and rank second-to-last in the Eastern Conference.

Toronto nearly snapped its skid at Scotiabank Arena Monday, but Chicago held on for a 122-121 triumph despite 32 points from RJ Barrett and 27 by Gradey Dick.

The Raptors played their second straight game without All-Star forward Scottie Barnes due to a sprained right ankle. The team’s second-leading scorer at 20.4 points per game is listed as questionable for Thursday’s 7:30 p.m. tip-off.

The Nets are still waiting for leading scorer Cam Thomas to return from a hamstring injury that has sidelined him since last month.

Brooklyn also will be without forward Ziaire Williams (knee) and reserve Trendon Watford (hamstring) in Toronto.
With Schröder gone, the Nets might get a glimpse at one of the players they got in return for their starting point guard.

RJ Barrett and the Raptors will be out to snap a five-game losing streak and four-game skid at home when they host the Nets Thursday. AP Photo by Phil Long

Speedy rookie guard Reece Beekman logged only two minutes in two games with the Warriors, but could see more action in a Brooklyn uniform.

Though they are only one-half game out of the final play-in tournament spot in the East, the Nets aren’t likely to be done dealing.

Cam Johnson, averaging a career-best 18.6 points per contest, is also rumored to be on the trade market. He has been picking up a lot of the scoring slack with Thomas sidelined, netting 22.4 points over five games this month.

Disinterested in the shifting state of his roster due to injuries or deals, Fernández is just looking for effort, even if his team does lose to better-equipped squads.

“Whoever wears our jersey will fight more than that, and if you don’t, you will not be part of this club,” he noted.

Brooklyn has dropped its last two contests by a combined 45 points. That will have to change in Toronto if the Nets don’t want to hear it again from their fiery helmsman.

“The ones that are here, they have to fight. And if they don’t fight, there will be consequences,” Fernández warned.

The Nets are still waiting for leading scorer Cam Thomas to return from a hamstring injury that has kept him out since Nov. 25. AP Photo by Jed Jacobsohn

NOTHING BUT NET: Thomas, averaging a team-high 24.7 points before his injury at Golden State on Nov. 25, has not yet been cleared for contact in resuming basketball activities. Williams, who was averaging a career-best 8.6 points in his first 21 games as a Net, has been limited to shootaround since going down Dec. 1 against Orlando at Barclays Center. … The Nets will be back in Brooklyn Saturday night to host Utah at 7:30 p.m. before embarking on a two-game trip through Miami Monday and Milwaukee next Thursday. … Brooklyn won three of four meetings with Toronto last season, including a 96-88 victory in its last visit to Scotiabank behind 19 points from Watford, 11 of which came in the fourth quarter. Watford hurt his hamstring in the first half of Monday’s loss to the Cavs after putting up eight points in 10 minutes.