Raptors take care of Nets as Dragic gets booed on his return to Toronto / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: AP, RS-Scanpix Credit AP, RS-Scanpix

Gary Trent Jr. scored 12 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter as the Toronto Raptors (34-27) defeated the visiting Brooklyn Nets (32-31) 109-108 (32-25, 23-34, 26-30, 28-19) Wednesday night.

Player of the Game EFF 25 Scottie Barnes Points 18 Accuracy 8-13 Rebounds 10 Assists 4

Scottie Barnes added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, who defeated the Nets 133-97 on Monday in New York. The teams split four games this season.

Toronto's Pascal Siakam had 18 points before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. Malachi Flynn added 15 points and Khem Birch and Thaddeus Young each scored 11.

James Johnson scored 19 points for Brooklyn. Seth Curry added 18, LaMarcus Aldridge had 16, Cam Thomas 11 and Goran Dragic 10. Aldridge grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.

The Nets led by as many as 10 points during the third quarter and took an 89-81 lead into the fourth.

Young's driving layup cut Brooklyn's lead to one point with 4:49 to play. Barnes gave Toronto a one-point lead on a jumper with 4:06 remaining. Trent's layup capped a 10-0 run and Toronto led by four with 2:56 to go.

Toronto led by five points after Young's dunk with 1:50 to play, but Johnson answered with a dunk and Curry tied the game with a 3-pointer.

Trent made two free throws with 30.8 seconds remaining. Curry missed an 18-footer and Trent made two free throws to increase the lead to four with 18.5 seconds left. Brooklyn's Patty Mills made a layup before Trent sank two more free throws. Johnson drained a 3-pointer as the game ended.

Goran Dragic made his return to Toronto after a short stint with the Raptors. However, the Slovenian didn't receive a warm welcome as fans booed the 35-year-old got booed.

Toronto led 32-25 after one quarter.

Brooklyn used a 12-4 surge to take a two-point lead with 6:41 to play in the second quarter. Brooklyn led 59-55 at halftime.

Brooklyn closed the third quarter with a 14-4 run to lead 89-81.

Toronto was without OG Anunoby (finger) and Fred VanVleet (knee).

Brooklyn was missing coach Steve Nash (health and safety protocol), Andre Drummond (knee), Kevin Durant (knee), Ben Simmons (back) and Kyrie Irving (COVID-19 vaccine mandates).

The Raptors were playing at home without crowd limits for the first time since Dec. 13 due to the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions.

Raptors: Gary Trent 24 (3/8 2PT, 3/9 3PT, 9/9 FT, 7 AST), Scottie Barnes 18 (8/12 2PT, 10 REB, 4 AST), Pascal Siakam 18 (7/17 2PT, 8 REB, 6 AST, 4 TO), Malachi Flynn 15 (4/6 2PT, 2/5 3PT, 6 REB, 8 AST).Nets: James Johnson 19 (4/6 2PT, 3/5 3PT), Seth Curry 18 (5/10 2PT, 2/6 3PT, 6 AST), LaMarcus Aldridge 16 (5/10 2PT, 9 REB), Cam Thomas 11 (3/7 2PT), Goran Dragic 10 (4/7 2PT).

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