NETS GAMENIGHT: #Raptors @ #Nets

TORONTO RAPTORS (35-26) @ BROOKLYN NETS (31-30)

TD Garden 7:30

TV: YES  RADIO: WFAN 660/101.9FM

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NETS STARTERS
The starting lineup will be  Deron Williams playing alongside  Shaun Livingston in the backcourt with  Joe Johnson and Paul Pierce up front and the man in the middle Mason Plumlee.

The Nets recovered from the Celtics loss nicely with a blowout win at home over the Kings 104-89 on Sunday and once again have a good feeling going into this huge game tonight against division leading Toronto.

This is a HUGE game for Brooklyn with the Raptors in their sights and needing this win to stay alive and split the season series with Toronto.

Kevin Garnett will miss a sixth straight game due to back spasms.

Andrei Kirilenko is a game-time decision with a sprained ankle.

RAPTORS STARTERS

The Raptors starting lineup will be Kyle Lowry and DeMar Derozan in the backcourt with Terence Ross, Amir Johnson and  Jonas Valancuiunas playing in the frontcourt.

The Raptors lost the first meeting with the Nets, 102-100 at home in Nov, but have won both matchups since, including a 104-103 victory in Brooklyn on Jan. 27 despite leading scorer DeRozan sidelined with a sprained ankle.

Lowry is averaging 20.5 points and shooting 45.9 percent from 3-point range over his last six matchups with the Nets.

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Game Notes:

The Nets have won seven in a row at home and 14 of 16 in Brooklyn.

Toronto is now nine games over .500 for the first time since 2006-07.

The Raptors are looking to take the season series 3-1 with a win in Brooklyn tonight.

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[quote_simple]WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Split the series

The Nets have lost the last two highly contested game with the Raptors including the debacle in Brooklyn where Deron Williams threw the ball away in the final seconds which led to a 104-103 victory for Toronto.

The first game was a tight two-point game in Toronto as well so I don’t expect anything less than a thrilling last possession game from these teams once again.

The need for this game cannot be downplayed for the Nets as any hope of winning the division rests in the hands of this game and getting the win to split the season series at 2-2.

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[box]INJURY REPORT

NETS

Andrei Kirilenko – GTD (sprained ankle)

Kevin Garnett – GTD (back spasms)

Brook Lopez  – OUT (ankle)

RAPTORS

Patrick Patterson – OUT (right ulnar sprain)

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