Coming off one of the toughest opening stretches in the NBA, the 5-5 Toronto Raptors (4-1 in their last five) look to keep the ball rolling against one of the worst teams in the NBA.
As of late, the Raptors have shown their ability to compete with playoff-level teams, but competitive teams have to take care of business against the bottom-of-the-barrel. If the Raptors hope to prove themselves as a true playoff contender, a dominant win over the Brooklyn Nets is a step in the right direction.
Nets Outlook
Record: 1-9 | 13th in Eastern Conference
Offensive Rating: 111.3 (24th) | Defensive Rating: 126.6 (30th) | Net Rating: -15.3 (30th)
If you had any questions about the Nets intentions for this season, look no further than this trade that they completed last summer to acquire their own 2026 first round pick back from the Houston Rockets. The Nets have set their sights on a top three pick in this year’s draft and are off to an excellent start in achieving that goal.
While Brooklyn has had to face a gauntlet of playoff teams in their first 10 games, this is exactly what was expected from a team that used five first-round picks on players with similar skillsets. Their defensive rating is 4 points worse than the 29th ranked Washington Wizards, that’s about the same difference between Toronto at 15th and the Los Angeles Clippers at 26th.
While their offense isn’t nearly as bad as their defense (which is saying a lot), Brooklyn will be without their second-highest scorer Cam Thomas in this one as the 24-year-old shooting guard is out for three to four weeks with a hamstring injury. New addition Michael Porter Jr. will have to carry most of the offensive load in this one, something he had no trouble doing against the Raptors in pre-season, when he put up an effortless 34 points and 10 rebounds. Porter Jr. is having a career year with the Nets, posting career-highs in points per game (23.3), rebounds per game (7.6), and assists per game (2.6).
Raptors Outlook
Record: 5-5 | 8th in Eastern Conference
Offensive Rating: 116.4 (10th) | Defensive Rating: 114.2 (15th) | Net Rating: +2.1 (14th)
After starting the season 1-4, the Raptors have battled back to a respectable 5-5, with wins coming against Cleveland, Memphis, Milwaukee, and Atlanta. The swing in momentum can be attributed to a flip of the switch on defense. In the Raptors first five games, their defensive rating was 29th in the league, allowing 121.3 points per 100 possessions. In their last five? They’re up to 2nd, only allowing 106.8 points per 100 possesions.
A major driver of the improved defense has been the jaw-dropping performance of Scottie Barnes, who is making his bid for an All-Defense team with 21 stocks (9 steals, 12 blocks) in the last five games.
The Raptors are coming off a loss on the second night of a back-to-back in which the defense wavered, allowing 130 points to the Philadelphia 76ers. With a couple days rest, this game provides an opportunity for Toronto to get things back on track against a team that has scored over 110 points only three times this season.
Game Info
Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m. ET
Television: Sportsnet
Venue: Barclays Center
Starting Lineups (Projected)
Brooklyn Nets
PG: Egor Dёmin
SG: Terance Mann
SF: Michael Porter Jr.
PF: Noah Clowney
C: Nic Claxton
Toronto Raptors
PG: Immanuel Quickley
SG: RJ Barrett
SF: Brandon Ingram
PF: Scottie Barnes
C: Jakob Poeltl
Injury Report
Toronto Raptors
Ochai Agbaji (Back) – Out
Sandro Mamukelashvili (Neck) – Questionable
Brooklyn Nets
Day’Ron Sharpe (Hamstring) – Questionable
Cam Thomas (Hamstring) – Out
Haywood Highsmith (Knee) – Out
Lines
TeamSpreadMoneyTotalBrooklyn Nets+10.5 (-115)+350O 233.5 (-110)Toronto Raptors-10.5 (-105)-455U 233.5 (-110)
Odds as of November 11th, 5:00 AM
All Toronto Raptors odds are provided by NBA Betting Site Betway!
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