Kyle Lowry’s triple-double, DeMar DeRozan’s 31 in three quarters, Norm Powell hitting a three: it was a welcome return home for the Raptors on Friday night.
The good guys opened up the game playing crisp offense and suffocating defense, forcing turnovers and winning the hustle game. The Nets looked incredibly flat in the first few minutes and unlike recent games, Toronto didn’t let up, ultimately forcing seven first-quarter turnovers.
Everyone seemed to be clicking in a frame which included a Lowry-DeRozan alley-oop, an OG Anunoby baseline shake to find a cutting Jonas Valanciunas at the rim, and yet another chase-down block from Serge Ibaka – all in the first 6 minutes.