MANILA – Brooklyn Nets used a strong fourth-quarter rally to topple the Toronto Raptors, 116-103, on Tuesday night during the 2020-2021 National Basketball Association Season at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
The win secured the Nets to the top spot of the East Conference with a 42-20 win-loss slate.
Joe Harris and Blake Griffin sparked the Nets’ fourth-quarter run with their three-point shots to turn the 84-90 deficit to a 95-92 advantage following two freebies by Mike James.
The Raptors were hanging at 101-108 with over two minutes left but baskets from James, Kevin Durant, and Jeff Green stretched the Nets’ lead to 116-103.
Green scored 22 points and eight rebounds while Griffin and Durant chipped in 17 markers apiece.
Harris contributed 16 markers. Landry Shamet, Tyler Johnson, and James fired 14, 11, and 10 points, respectively, for the Nets.
Kyle Lowry tallied 24 points, OJ Anunoby had 21 markers, and Khem Birch and Malachi Flynn added 13 points apiece as the Raptors dropped to 26-36 slate.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee Bucks (38-23) proved that they were the steadier team in the endgame as they eked out a 114-104 win over Charlotte Hornets (30-31).
After seeing its once double-digit edge trimmed to 103-99, the Bucks got consecutive hits from Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Khris Middleton down the stretch to secure the victory.
Antetokounmpo finished the match with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists, Brook Lopez added 22 markers, and Middleton had 17 points for the Bucks.
In other results, Oklahoma City Thunder (21-41) pulled off a 119-115 stunner over Boston Celtics (32-30), while Portland Trail Blazers (33-28) edged Indiana Pacers (29-32), 133-112.
BOX SCORE:
BROOKLYN 116 – Green 22, Griffin 17, Durant 17, Harris 16, Shamet 14, T. Johnson 11, James 10, Irving 9.
TORONTO 103 – Lowry 24, Anunoby 21, Birch 13, Flynn 13, VanVleet 11, Siakam 10, Watanabe 8, Gillespie 2, Bembry 1, Hood 0, Johnson 0.
QUARTERSCORES:
26-28, 56-52, 80-83, 116-103./PN
