On Thursday night, the Toronto Raptors defeated Brooklyn 121-93, with Scottie Barnes scoring 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Gary Trent Jr. scoring 25 points. This win spoiled the debut of interim Nets coach Kevin Ollie. The Raptors ended their three-game home losing streak and recorded their first win against Atlantic Division opponents this season. They outscored Brooklyn 46-10 on fast-break points, their season best in that category, and had a lead of 34 points at one point. Mikal Bridges led Brooklyn with 21 points, while Cam Thomas scored 19 points. The Nets failed to extend their five-game winning streak against Toronto and have lost three straight and six of seven. Ollie replaced Jacque Vaughn on Tuesday, and the Nets struggled with their offensive flow in his first game in charge due to different terminology.
On February 14, Vaughn played his final game for the Nets before the All-Star break, resulting in a devastating 136-86 loss to the Boston Celtics. This defeat marked the Nets’ worst since relocating from New Jersey in 2012. Despite Bridges and Thomas being the only starters to score in double digits, the team made a season-high of 20 turnovers, leading to 32 points for the Raptors. Ollie expressed his disappointment, stating that “we can’t have that happen.” The game ended with Brooklyn scoring only 93 points, the fewest by a Toronto opponent this season. However, Quickley’s impressive 5 for 8 from 3-point range helped the Raptors secure a win, extending their advantage to 82-71 heading to the fourth.
