The Brooklyn Nets will look to play a stronger first half on Sunday against a host Toronto Raptors team bolstered by the return of Pascal Siakam.
Siakam is scheduled to make his debut following offseason shoulder surgery although coach Nick Nurse said his playing time will be limited as he is eased into the lineup.
The Nets, who will be playing the second game of a six-game road trip, used a 39-point third quarter Friday to defeat the Detroit Pistons 96-90.
“We just got back to what we want to do, which is get into early action, get off the ball, attack the paint,” Nets coach Steve Nash said. “We didn’t get very many paint touches in the first half, especially in the second quarter. I think we had one rim attempt, and we’ve got to try to get in the paint and collapse the defense and play from there.”
The Nets scored 11 points in the second quarter and were tied 39-39 with the Pistons at halftime before winning their fourth consecutive game.
Kevin Durant led the Nets with 29 points –12 in the third quarter — and grabbed 10 rebounds. James Harden had 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, but committed nine turnovers.
Durant wasn’t satisfied after making 12 of 27 shots from the field.
“I really think that I missed too many shots tonight,” Durant said. “I feel like I got to my spots, but I have got to do a better job of sticking with my fundamentals once I get there so we don’t even have to be in these positions.”
The Raptors fell to 2-4 at home on Friday after leading the whole game until Darius Garland made two free throws with 4.8 seconds remaining to give the Cleveland Cavaliers a 102-101 victory.
The Raptors, who are 4-0 on the road, had won their five previous games after sweeping a three-game trip.
The Raptors still had a chance to win in the final seconds but OG Anunoby, who had 23 points, missed a jumper and Scottie Barnes (14 points, nine rebounds) missed a tip-in chance on the rebound.
Garland was fouled to set up the winning free throws as he drove to the basket after Collin Sexton had won a jump ball.
“We didn’t get many breaks,” Nurse said. “It seemed like every ball we had kind of cleanly turned into a jump ball quickly or somehow. We didn’t do a very good job of winning any of those. World record for jump balls tonight. Didn’t do us any favors really.”
The Raptors led by 15 points during the third quarter.
“That one felt strange to lose,” Nurse said. “I think we played really hard and played pretty well. I just think it was strange. It was a lot of the ball bouncing the wrong way, breaks, a whole string of them and that game’s probably over. We’re up four or six, just one little break goes our way and it’s eight and it’s over. Just didn’t, so that can happen.”
Gary Trent Jr. had 17 points and a career-best six steals for the Raptors on Friday.
The Raptors waived Sam Dekker on Saturday.
