Brooklyn Nets drop preseason finale to Toronto Raptors after failed comeback
Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Cam Johnson had 32 and seven Nets scored in double figures but in the end, despite a comeback, they couldn’t get the W. Tonight, the Brooklyn Nets reached the finish line leading to the starting line, clearing their final hurdle before the regular season. Got it?
The Nets may not have surpassed the visiting Toronto Raptors on the scoreboard, falling by an 116-112 score, but what they did only mattered on the calendar, not in the W-L column. From now on, though, Brooklyn’s games will count for real.
Having said that — and that everyone was trying to keep track how the Liberty was doing in the WNBA Finals, a game was still played tonight, and a sneakily entertaining one at that. While Brooklyn didn’t complete their comeback — or the bounce-back effort Jordi Fernández hoped for after his team’s bleak showing on the road two days ago, there was modest improvement.
The Nets entered tonight’s contest looking to right some of those wrongs vs Philly, they initially followed the same script — spraying shots from deep without much hesitation. This time, though, the Nets looked more creative than they had vs. 76ers, mixing in a flurry of different ghost screens and pin-down actions to free up shooters. It worked early.
a rainy start at Barclays Center! pic.twitter.com/cNl1QtJGwG— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 18, 2024
The defense, on the other hand, was not a joy to behold. The Nets, shorthanded down low without Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe, welcomed Toronto into their paint like an Applebee’s hostess, menu in hand and a smile on her face. The Raptors finished the game with a whopping +22 point advantage in the paint. That interior attack was a near perfect counter to Brooklyn’s outside shooting as Toronto etched out a one point lead after the first.
“We got punished in the pain and at the rim,” said Fernández postgame. “And that goes with being smaller. We got punished in transition and at the rim. Nic [Claxton] is going to be important, our weight and size down there.”
Without Clax, Brooklyn started the night with a five of Dennis Schröder, Cam Thomas, Jalen Wilson, Cam Johnson, and Ben Simmons. Ziaire Williams and Noah Clowney were first off the bench, checking in around the six minute mark of the first.
In the second quarter, however, Fernandez put a creative lineup of Wilson, Simmons, Clowney, Williams and Shake Milton in front of us. The offense was a more balanced approach for that crew. The Nets still got their threes up but also adding a quick eight points in the paint during their five minutes of burn.
All of the starters minus Wilson, who had been been replaced by Williams, returned around the seven minute mark of quarter two. Brooklyn and Toronto remained attached at the hip for a few more sequences until Grady Dick flew in from Williamsburg to throw down a put-back jam, giving the Raptors a four-point lead, which in hindsight felt bigger than it was given the game’s close nature.
Gradey Dick snuck in there for the putback dunkpic.twitter.com/MeqNTq9q6F— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) October 19, 2024
Brooklyn’s hot shooting, stoked by an aggressive Cam Johnson, returned down the stretch of the half to help them shave one point off the Raptors lead. CJ finished the game with 32 points while shooting 7-of-14 from deep. At the half, he had 21 on 5-of-8 threes, leaving the Nets down only 53-50 as time ran out in the half.
Cam Johnson 5/8 on treys in the first half - Nets down three at the break. #NetsOnYES pic.twitter.com/uiPNmbyznJ— YES Network (@YESNetwork) October 19, 2024
“I want Cam Johnson to shoot 14 threes, especially if he makes seven,” said Fernández of Johnson, whose career percentage is close to 40%. “Even if he doesn’t there’s an opportunity to get an offensive rebound, and he creates attention because everybody knows he’s a great shooter.”
“The shots come from running the floor, Ben and Dennis pushing, not in the half court,” Fernández added. “There was a lot of cutting. It’s not he’s like he’s standing still and shooting. He’s there’s cutting, and then there’s, there’s driving, there’s collapsing, there’s defense when he gets those shots.”
Simmons took a different approach, at least at the offensive end. At the break, he had just two points on one field goal attempt after logging 16 minutes. He finished the game with four points, eight rebounds, and six dimes after taking just two shots.
Nonetheless, Simmons spoke highly of the team and his fit in the small lineup alongside Schröder tonight.
“Yeah it’s interesting, but we’ve got to be open minded to it,” said Simmons when asked about the two guard lineup. “You know things will happen through the season, but knock on wood everyone stays healthy. Just being able to go into that role and finding how I can be the most effective player in that center point of position.”
“But I like being on the floor with Dennis,” Simmons added. “You know, he has a great IQ. He’s able to find me, we’re able to feed off each other. Then obviously, you know, he’s had a lot of experience in this league, so he makes it easier for everyone.”
The more participatory Johnson opened the third just as he closed the second, burying what was his sixth triple for the game less than 30 seconds into the period. Toronto’s disregard for what Brooklyn was doing from deep returned in the second half too. The Raptors continued to hammer Brooklyn inside, going up 44-18 in the paint halfway through the third. Scottie Barnes then pulled one from deep, finding nylon and putting the Raptors up 72-58, their largest lead of the game.
Brooklyn and Toronto danced around that 8-to-12 point margin through the third and into the fourth. The offense lacked much punch beyond the occasional 3-point jab from Johnson.
On the other end, threes started to come along with the paint dominance for Toronto. That made it seem like a wrap. Then Brooklyn’s bench mob plus Jalen Wilson made things interesting down the stretch as they went on a 16-3 run that didn’t quite them back.
Williams, who helped get the Nets back in it along with Wilson and Keon Johnson, gave the building a jolt foreign to most preseason games with a corner three that made it a two-point game with 20 seconds to go. But on the next Toronto possession, the Raptors brought everyone back to earth, as Ulrich Chomche broke away for a wide open layup out of the timeout, essentially icing things.
“I thought those guys brought the energy, and it was, you know, contagious positive energy,” Fernández said of the overall effort. “And that’s how you play a fun game.”
Aside from the near comeback, what was most notable in the final period, was again, that the Nets left their starters in deep into the quarter. All the players expected to be featured in Brooklyn’s main rotation played big minutes tonight. Thomas racked up 32 minutes, Schröder had 35, Johnson 32. Simmons 27. Wilson finished with 30 and Williams 27.
While it’s not exactly customary for teams to load up starters with that many minutes during their final preseason game, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Fernández mentioned that Brooklyn’s starters would play “around 30” minutes tonight pregame. The Nets also left some of their starting five in as late as the five minute mark of the fourth last game vs the 76ers.
Injury Update
Although Ben Simmons returned tonight after missing the 76ers game as a planned rest,Nic Claxton remained out, not playing a second in any of the four preseason games. Fernández said pregame that Brooklyn’s defensive dynamo is “close” and “still expected” to be ready for the season opener. But Frank Isola of YES suggested that it might take till the Nets first home game, their third game of the season, to be ready.
Simmons did note in his postgame presser that he’s played the most minutes he has out of all the preseasons he’s logged so far and that he “feels great,” which has to been as a positive sign.
Day’Ron Sharpe will also miss the opener, though that’s been known for sometime. Trendon Watford, on the other hand, is set to “receive an update” on the 21st according to Brooklyn’s original press release when they announced his injury. That’s two days before the season opener, giving him somewhat of a chance to be ready for game one.
Killian Hayes also missed all of the preseason, but Fernandez has said that he and the staff feel they have enough data from practice sessions to make a decision. Saturday is the deadline for teams to waive players on non or partially guaranteed deals or they will wind up on the cap. Also, Keon Johnson will earn another $700,000 if he gets past tomorrow.
Expect some of those waived to wind up in Long Island.
Lakers interest in Cam Johnson continues?
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Anthony Irwin, the lead Lakers writer for Clutch Points, reported that the Los Angeles Lakers are still interested in Cam Johnson (and Dorian Finney-Smith.)
The Lakers are eyeing some big names in the league: “In terms of the names the Lakers might be after… league sources point to Kyle Kuzma, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, Walker Kessler, Bruce Brown…. One name keep an eye on is Zach LaVine.” via @AnthonyIrwinLA pic.twitter.com/OGQQPuciHc— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) October 17, 2024
Various reports have said the Nets are asking for a lot for Johnson. Post-game, he was again asked about the uncertainty of his future in Brooklyn.
“I think it’s just everyone around me, from family, friends, agents, front office, coaching staff. I’ve been able to feel comfortable in what’s going on,” Johnson said.
“Even with the uncertainty, it’s not like an uncertainty where I don’t think that our staff or our front office has a lack of trust in me… I feel confident going forward… And I’m going to compete for this team… There’s tons and tons of basketball to be played here, and I’m looking forward to it. And so is everybody else on the team, even people who are facing the same uncertainty as me. We’re just kind of all in. And whatever happens, happens.”
If Sean Marks & Co. are still interested in moving him, tonight didn’t hurt their chances.
Next Up
Next time we see the Nets, it’ll be for real. Brooklyn kicks off its 2024-25 regular season in Atlanta on Wednesday. The Nets are 20-28 all-time in season openers and 7-14 in season openers on the road. After playing their second game in Orlando two days later, they’ll open at home on October 27 vs. the Milwaukee Bucks.
Box Score: Toronto Raptors 116, Brooklyn Nets 112 - NBA
Game Highlights: Toronto Raptors 116, Brooklyn Nets 112 (Video) - NBA
Nets set to get back Nic Claxton, Dorian Finney-Smith for opener - Brian Lewis - New York Post
What are the Nets’ options to back up their fragile two-point-guard experiment? - Brian Lewis - New York Post
Nets’ Jordi Fernandez prioritizes building relationships with players, team - Brian Lewis - New York Post
Nets’ Cam Johnson looks forward to a mentoring role this season ($) - Evan Barnes - Newsday
Nets season preview: Brooklyn has first-year coach and eye on future, but plenty of players with something to prove ($) - Evan Barnes - Newsday
Three keys for the Nets entering the 2024-25 NBA regular season ($) - Evan Barnes - Newsday
Veteran forward Cam Johnson ignites for 32 points in Nets preseason finale against Raptors ($) - C.J. Holmes - New York Daily News
Nets Notebook: Jalen Wilson’s impressive summer caught Jordi Fernandez’s attention ($) - C.J. Holmes - New York Daily News
Nets’ Cam Johnson ramping up for league wide audition during first half of season - Erik Slater - Clutch Points
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