Achi news desk-
TORONTO – Dennis Schroder had 19 points, seven assists and five rebounds to lead the Brooklyn Nets past Toronto 96-88 on Monday as the Raptors were mired in a gambling investigation.
It was Schroder’s first game back in Toronto after being traded to the Nets before the Feb. 8 NBA trade deadline.
Trendon Watford had 19 points and seven boards off the bench as Brooklyn (27-45) snapped a six-game losing skid.
Gary Trent Jr. scored. 18 points as Toronto (23-49) lost its 11th game in a row. Javon Freeman-Liberty added 15 points.
Media reports came out an hour before tipoff that Raptors backup center Jontay Porter was being investigated by the NBA for prop betting irregularities involving him.
Porter has been on Toronto’s inactive list since Saturday for “personal reasons.”
His absence was part of a large number of players unavailable to the Raptors. Star forward Scottie Barnes (fractured left hand), center Jakob Poeltl (torn ligament in left hand), swingman RJ Barrett (personal reasons), point guard Immanuel Quickley (personal reasons), forward Chris Boucher (partial MCL tear), and guard DJ Carton (sprained right ankle) was also out.
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Barnes, Barrett and Quickley were all on the bench for Toronto on Monday. Barrett, from Mississauga, Ont., has missed six games as his family mourns the death of his younger brother.
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Trent drained a 27-foot three-pointer with 5:24 left in the first to give the Raptors their first lead of the game. That was as close as they would get in the quarters, with Brooklyn leading 22-20 at the end of the period.
Watford had 11 points off the bench in the second quarter as the Nets added to their lead. Brooklyn built a 49-45 advantage at the break, outscoring Toronto in the first two quarters.
The Raptors recovered a tipped pass and then quickly swung the ball around the arc to find a wide open Bruce Brown in the corner. He paused to collect himself as the Nets defense improved, before converting a three-pointer for the lead with 1:48 left to play in the third quarter.
It was only the hosts’ second lead of the game, with cheers from the 18,376 fans at Scotiabank Arena building to a roar as play progressed.
Toronto reserve forward Jordan Nwora hit a jump shot on the next possession but Dorian Finney-Smith grabbed a shot as the Raptors entered the quarter leading 69-68.
A 7-1 run early in the fourth re-established Brooklyn’s lead. An 8-0 run in the final 3:39 of the fourth, with Schroder scoring four points and adding an assist, put the game out of Toronto’s reach.
HELPING HANDS – The Raptors’ 23 assists against Brooklyn set a franchise single-season record of 2,086 total assists. The previous record (2,085) was set during the 2018-19 campaign when Toronto won the NBA championship.
SCHRODER RETURNS – Schroder received a warm welcome from Toronto fans on Monday when he was announced during pre-game introductions despite only playing half a season for the Raptors, having signed with the team as an agent free in the off-season.
“I think he did a great job with us,” Rajakovic said before tipoff. “I thought he was competitive, he brought the edge in every single game and that’s something I really respect and appreciate.”
UP NEXT – The Raptors host the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
Brooklyn visits the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.
This report was first published by The Canadian Press on March 25, 2024.
& copy 2024 The Canadian Press
