From the start of the game all the way to the end, Brooklyn’s energy was just not there Monday night against the Dallas Mavericks. En route to a 120-101 win, the combination of Naji Marshall and Brandon Williams (two names you probably didn’t expect to read) absolutely killed the Nets. Anthony Davis, who really shouldn’t have played, did some damage as well in his 27 minutes of action, scoring 12 points and grabbing six rebounds.
With games like this, it makes you a bit joyful that the season is coming to a merciful end. Unfortunately, the Nets still have a job to do, which is to complete the tankathon. It certainly won’t be easy as they will be taking on the Toronto Raptors, who are on a quest to tank themselves.
The Raptors and the Philadelphia 76ers are the only two teams that stand in Brooklyn’s way of getting the best pick possible for this year’s draft, the fifth best lottery odds on May 12. It’s one of those rare games where fans will cheer the loser. That’s what it means to tank.
Where to Watch
Check out the action at 7:30 p.m. ET on the YES Network or the Gotham Sports App. For the out-of-towners, as always, it’s NBA League Pass.
Injury Report
Brooklyn will be short handed tonight as Cam Johnson (rest) and Day’Ron Sharpe (right knee sprain) will be sitting out. Cam Thomas and De’Anthony Melton are of course out as well. The two ways in Reece Beekman, Tyson Etienne, and Tovan Evbuomwan will be, ironically enough, in suburban Toronto playing the Raptors905 in a do-or-die contest starting at 11:00 a.m. ET.
For the Raptors, Immanuel Quickly (rest), Brandon Ingram (ankle), Gradey Dick (knee), Cris Boucher (illness), Jacob Poeltl (rest), and Ulrich Chomche (MCL tear) will all be out. Like we said, tankathon is on.
The Game
If we’re going to be honest, it seems that both teams are on the same page tonight. If a key player on each side isn’t injured, then they are resting, and they know that we know why they are doing that.
The Nets and Raptors are two games separated from each other in the quest to improve their draft lottery odds. If the Nets can out-tank Toronto not only tonight, but again in two weeks when the division rivals meet one final time, then the future can look like a bright one. The Nets are done playing the 76ers this season.
If you’ve been following March Madness, you would want to tank too with how some of the top prospects have been performing starting with All-World Cooper Flagg and his Dukies, . Derik Queen, VJ Edgecombe. The list goes on and on. We trust you Sean Marks! (FYI, Duke faces Arizona Thursday night in the Sweet 16 at Prudential Center in Newark.)
On the flip side, great news for the Nets as Dariq Whitehead can see some NBA action. After having multiple surgeries in the last couple of years, it will be interesting to see what he can do through the end of the season. It’s about evaluation, a preview hopefully of what’s to come next season.
The two teams haven’t played each other since January 1, the Nets having won game 1 just before Christmas, then lost the second on New Year’s Day. A lot has happened with both teams since then.
Player To Watch: Scottie Barnes
Scottie Barnes will be the big name on the court tonight at Barclays. The 6’7” 23-year-old is a former Rookie of the Year (2022) and most recent All-Star (2024), he is also the face of the franchise in Toronto. The Raps may have acquired Brandon Ingram at the deadline for a pu-pu platter of picks and a couple of rotation players, but the 27-year-old hasn’t played since December with ankle woes.
He’s also having a quietly effective season, averaging 19.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists while shooting splits of 45/27/77. His big issue other than 3-point shooting which is at a career low is his availability. He’s missed 15 games this season after missing 16 all of last season, compared to 12 in his first two seasons in Ontario.
The Florida native has also had a couple of very good games vs. Brooklyn this season, averaging 24.5 points while hitting 66/50/86 of his shots.
From the Vault
The Nets and Raptors have something in common beyond losing this season. Both retired Vince Carter’s jersey, Toronto in November, the Nets in January. As part of the Nets celebration of VC’s time in New Jersey, the team produced a documentary that included a section on Carter’s return to Toronto in April, four full months after the trade that brought him to the Meadowlands for trinkets and baubles.
In case you missed it or were too young to appreciate it or not even born yet, here’s a recollection of that night. It was one of the most insane nights in Nets history, period.
More reading: Raptors HQ and SBNation NBA