The Brooklyn Nets (7-19) have been playing well over their past 10 games, especially on the defensive end of the floor as they seem to have figured out how they want to defend opposing teams. Brooklyn is entering the tougher part of their December schedule as they welcome the Toronto Raptors (17-12) to Barclays Center on Sunday and if you’re wondering how you can watch all the action live, you’ve come to the right place!
The Nets come into this matchup following a 106-95 loss to the Miami Heat on Thursday in which Brooklyn played well for the first three quarters before dropping the ball in the fourth quarter. Forward Michael Porter Jr. had 28 points and six rebounds, but struggled to a 10-of-24 shooting performance while center Nic Claxton had one of his best games of the season with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists.
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The Raptors enter this contest after a 112-96 loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday in which Toronto was able to get back into the game after a dismal first quarter, but they ran out of gas down the stretch of the final period. Forward Brandon Ingram led the way for the Raptors with 24 points, four rebounds, and seven assists while center Sandro Mamukelashvili also had 24 points and five rebounds while filling in for Jakob Poeltl.
The Lines, Courtesy Of BetMGM
Point-spread: Nets (+3.5)
Notable Injuries
Nets: OUT: Haywood Highsmith (knee), Drake Powell (ankle), Cam Thomas (hamstring), Ben Saraf (G League), Tyson Etienne (G League), and EJ Liddell (G League).
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Raptors: OUT: NOT YET SUBMITTED.
Advice and Prediction
The Nets have been playing better basketball as of late and they will need to keep up that improved play if they’re going to beat some of the better teams on their schedule to end December. Forward Michael Porter Jr. has struggled over the past two games, but with the kind of season he’s having, he should be able to bounce back as soon as this game.
The Raptors have been one of the pleasant surprises this season as they have seemingly gone from rebuilding franchise to potentially competing for a playoff spot in just one year. One of the reasons for Toronto’s improvement is due to the play of forward Brandon Ingram, who is averaging 22.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 47.7% from the field and 37.0% from three-point land.
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The Nets and Raptors rank in the bottom half of the league in terms of pace, but the offensive and defensive ends of the floor are the main differences between these teams. Brooklyn ranks in the bottom half of the NBA in offensive and defensive rating while Toronto ranks middle-of-the-pack on defense and as one of the better teams on the offensive end.
Prediction: Nets 110, Raptors 105
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets vs. Raptors betting preview: Prediction, point spread, odds