Barnes's double-double leads Raptors past Nets; Toronto stays alive in play-in chase
Gary Trent Jr. didn't miss any of his shots in the first half but when his Toronto Raptors teammates missed open passes to him in the third, he started to struggle.
A quick talk with head coach Darko Rajakovic turned that around.
“Just pulled me out three minutes into the half and says 'get focused,”' said Trent. “I said 'OK coach, I understand you' and kept pushing.
“That's all I really can say, y'know? Obviously, you see something on the floor I'm all ears.”
Trent had 10 points in the fourth quarter - again making all his shots in the period - to lead all scorers with 25 points as the Raptors routed the Brooklyn Nets 121-93 on Thursday to snap Toronto's three-game losing skid.
“I just went out there and played hard, tried to contribute to winning,” said Trent, who was 9 for 12 on field goals with five three-pointers and 2 for 2 from the free-throw line.
“We came out of the all-star break and got a win so that was probably the most important thing.”
Scottie Barnes had a double-double with 18 points, 12 rebounds and three assists as Toronto (20-36) tries to slip into the Eastern Conference's play-in tournament.
The Raptors now trail the Nets by 1 1/2 games for 11th in the East, with both teams chasing the Atlanta Hawks (24-31) for the 10th and the final spot in the play-in tournament.
“This was just one game,” said Rajakovic. “I still think there is a lot for us to improve and get better at but it was definitely a step in the right direction tonight.”
Immanuel Quickley had 24 points and six rebounds, sinking five three-pointers for Toronto. Quickley has made a three-pointer in 27 consecutive games, including all 20 of his games since being traded to the Raptors, tying the longest streak of his career.
“I'm shooting so many, one's gonna fall eventually,” joked Quickley. “Honestly, just staying aggressive and I appreciate the coaching staff staying on me to be aggressive and be who I am, really.”
Mikal Bridges scored 21 points as Brooklyn (21-34) dropped its third straight game. Cam Thomas added 19 points.
Toronto went on a 10-4 run to close out the half and expand its lead to 59-48. Trent made all four of his field-goal attempts, including three three-pointers, and sinking his two free throws in the first two quarters.
An 11-2 Nets run opened the third, with Thomas responsible for seven of those points. That cut the Raptors' lead to one point.
Toronto fired back with a 10-0 run, however, capped by rookie Gradey Dick scoring off an offensive rebound. The Raptors maintained that lead for the rest of the quarter, holding an 82-71 advantage headed into the fourth.
Trent's 10-point fourth quarter helped Toronto blow the game wide open. With 4:06 left to play and the Raptors holding a 29-point lead, Rajakovic flushed his bench and put out reserves like Jordan Nwora, Jalen McDaniels, Montreal's Chris Boucher, and D.J. Carton, who signed a 10-day contract with Toronto on Wednesday.
OLLIE DEBUT - Kevin Ollie debuted as the Nets head coach on Thursday. He was given the position on an interim basis after Jacque Vaughn was fired on Monday.
SCHRODER RETURNS - It was Dennis Schroder's first game back in Toronto after the Raptors traded him to the Nets ahead of the deadline. The veteran point guard only spent half a season in Toronto after signing with the Raptors last summer. He finished with four points and two assists off Brooklyn's bench.
“I think Dennis did a really good job when he was with us,” said Rajakovic before the game. “I think he brought competitive energy every single night and I think especially the young players could see what it takes to be a player in the rotation and playing every night, how hard it takes to work every night.”
UP NEXT - The Raptors visit the Hawks on Friday.
Brooklyn hosts the Minnesota Timberwolves (39-16) on Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 22, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Alberta's request for federal assistance approved after fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on social media that Ottawa has approved Alberta's request for federal assistance after a fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday.
Jasper mayor says alert system to be reviewed after message 'glitch'
More than 25,000 people have been displaced from Jasper National Park since wildfires started to threaten the picturesque corner of Alberta Rockies on Monday, but the mayor of its namesake municipality says not everyone received an evacuation alert when it was sent out.
Canada's premiers forced to confront escalating climate change-related disasters
Many of Canada's provincial and territorial leaders remained consumed by climate change-related natural disasters that have only escalated since they met for meetings in Halifax last week.
Biden explains why he ended re-election bid in Oval Office address
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Unclaimed bodies are piling up in Newfoundland. A funeral director blames the government
A funeral director in St. John's says the bodies piling up in freezers at Newfoundland and Labrador's largest hospital likely belong to people whose loved ones couldn't get enough government help to pay for a funeral.
U.K. police officer suspended after video appears to show a man being kicked in head
A British police officer was suspended from all duties Thursday after a video was posted on social media that appeared to show an officer kicking and stamping on the head of a man lying on the floor of a terminal at Manchester Airport.
Norad intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers operating together near Alaska in apparent first
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska Wednesday in what appears to be the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Monday breaks the record for the hottest day ever on Earth
Driven by oceans that won't cool down, an unseasonably warm Antarctica and worsening climate change, Earth's record hot streak dialed up this week, making Monday the hottest day humans have measured.