Brooklyn Nets vs Toronto Raptors 3/1/22: Starting Lineups, Matchup Preview, Betting Odds, Predictions
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Brooklyn Nets vs Toronto Raptors Matchup Preview (3/1/22)
The Brooklyn Nets (32-30) travel internationally to face the Toronto Raptors (33-27) Tuesday night. The Nets are crumbling fast; they are the 8th seed with the 11th seed Wizards only 4 games back. In the last 10 games, the Nets are 3-7 with the 26th Offensive Rating and 27th Defensive Rating over that span. This contest will be a rematch of Monday’s game where the Raptors dominated 133-97. The Nets starting lineup disappointed in this one. Patty Mills produced 3 points and 3 assists on 12.5 FG%. Andre Drummond had 3 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 turnovers. Seth Curry scored 11 points on 42.8 FG%, but he’s expected to carry this offense with Durant and Kyrie out. Aldridge scored 15 off the bench, and Cam Thomas added 14 points. However, they were -19 and -24 in terms of plus minus, respectively. The startling aspect was the turnover difference. The Nets had 10 more turnovers than the Raptors, which led to 25 more points for the Raptors off of turnovers. Durant, Irving, Simmons, and Harris will be out again for this game. Drummond tweaked his knee, but he is likely to play. If he cannot, LaMarcus Aldridge would likely get the start in his place.
The Raptors flexed their defense by hounding the Nets all night and holding them to 97 points. Scottie Barnes had 5 steals and 1 block, while Pascal Siakam had 3 steals and 2 blocks. Gary Trent Jr terrorized the Nets ball handlers with 5 steals as well. Offensively, the Raptors were hitting their shots and finished with a 51.5 FG% and 47.4 3PT%. Scottie Barnes obliterated the Nets by scoring 28 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, and facilitating 4 assists on 50 FG%. Even though Fred VanVleet didn’t play, the Raptors were able to run their offense and score efficiently. Malachi Flynn stepped in for VanVleet and had 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. Off the bench, Precious Achiuwa finished with 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. The Raptors were up 23 points at halftime, but they didn’t relent and let the Nets catch up. It will be tough to repeat this performance since everything went right for the Raptors. VanVleet is a game time decision, while OG Anunoby remains out. If VanVleet cannot go, Flynn gets the start again.
Brooklyn Nets vs Toronto Raptors Betting Odds
The Nets are up 2-1 in the season series, but both wins came with Durant playing. In those wins, Durant averaged 32.5 PPG, 10 RPG, and 9.0 APG on 48.9 FG%. Harden, who was recently traded, also influenced the second win with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists on 50 FG%. With Durant, Irving, Simmons, and Harris out, the Raptors have a significant talent advantage in this game with or without VanVleet. The Raptors have three of the four best players, as well as a deeper bench. I like the Raptors to convincingly win against the Nets, but they won’t repeat their 36-point win. The Raptors will win by around 12-18 points in the fourth installment of this matchup. Look for Barnes, Siakam, and Trent Jr to shine once again
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TV Schedule
Date: 3/1/22
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Arena: Scotiabank Arena – Toronto, ON
Channel: NBA League Pass
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Brooklyn Nets Starting Lineup
PG: Patty Mills
SG: Seth Curry
SF: Bruce Brown Jr
PF: James Johnson
C: Andre Drummond
Brooklyn Nets Analysis
The Nets have utterly imploded since Durant’s injury. They are 5-15 since he was injured, and that win% is tied for third worst in the NBA with the Houston Rockets. It’s crystal clear that the Nets need Kevin Durant to win. Kyrie is a part-time player, Harden is gone, and Simmons won’t be ready for weeks. The Nets need Seth Curry and Patty Mills to step up until Durant returns, which could be in a few games. Mills has fallen off since his scorching start to the season, but he’s capable of handling the ball. However, he is more of a secondary playmaker and spot up shooter, not a primary ball handler. Because of injuries, the Nets are asking Mills to do too much offensively. Turning to Cam Thomas and new addition Goran Dragic is risky, but it may yield better results. Thomas is a rookie, yet he’s shown flashes of being a crafty pick and roll ball handler. Having Thomas or Dragic control the ball while Mills and Curry spot up for threes would give the offense a sharper edge.
Off the bench, LaMarcus Aldridge and Nic Claxton must contain the dangerous Raptors reserves. Young, Achiuwa, and Boucher presented problems for the Nets with their unique skills. Young is a do-it-all forward who plays tough defense. Achiuwa is a bulldozer in the paint, and Boucher loves to spot up on the perimeter. Because their styles are diverse, it’s difficult for the 36-year-old Aldridge to adjust quickly from the interior to the perimeter. Claxton is a decent rim protector, but Boucher can drag him out to the perimeter. If the Nets want to win this game, they require a great night from deep, as well as the bench to hold their minutes.
Toronto Raptors Starting Lineup
PG: Fred VanVleet
SG: Gary Trent Jr
SF: Scottie Barnes
PF: Pascal Siakam
C: Khem Birch
Toronto Raptors Analysis
The Raptors will rightfully enter this contest with supreme confidence in their winning chances. After dismantling the Nets on the road, they get to run it back on their home court. It’s hard to believe Scottie Barnes is a rookie; his two-way versatility is rare for someone his age. He was all over the court against the Nets on both sides of the ball. Whether it was scoring 28 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, or swiping 5 steals, the Nets couldn’t stop Barnes at all. The Raptors also annihilated the Nets with Siakam going 2/14 from the field and Trent Jr at 3/10 from the field.
Siakam was often guarded by James Johnson, a solid role player but no defensive specialist. Siakam can exploit this matchup and get clean looks – he just needs to convert his shots. Gary Trent Jr has been in a shooting slump recently, but the horrible Nets perimeter defense won’t suffocate him. Trent Jr can break out of his slump and light up the Nets for 30 points. In his last 6 games, Trent Jr is averaging 13.3 PPG on 33.7 FG% and 31.6 3PT%. Setting screens on his defenders – likely Curry – and getting Trent Jr open will be a priority. The Raptors need Trent Jr’s confidence to be high so that they can benefit from his shooting talent. Even if Trent Jr’s shot is not falling, look for the Raptors to ensure his volume is high.
Brooklyn Nets vs Toronto Raptors Daily Fantasy Picks
I like Siakam, Barnes, and Thomas to thrive in this game. Siakam had a poor shooting night on Monday, but he’s more talented than the Nets defenders. Siakam’s most common offensive play type is isolation, and the Nets are 21st at defending it. He will get volume as well as a favorable matchup here. With the way Barnes dominated the Nets, it’s hard to pick against him here. The Nets had no answer for him, and I expect his defense to produce easy points for him off of steals. For the Nets, Cam Thomas will be the leading scorer. In his last 10 games, Thomas is averaging 17.4 PPG on 43.6 FG%. He’s a microwave scorer who can get hot from deep. If the game gets out of hand quickly, Thomas will receive even more minutes from garbage time. The Nets need to put the ball in a high variance player, and Thomas fits the bill.
