(Toronto) Kyrie Irving scored 32 points, including a three-pointer that beat the bell with a tenth of a second left in the fourth quarter, to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a 119-116 win over the Toronto Raptors , Friday.
Fred VanVleet scored 39 points for the Raptors (13-16), which lost four straight games for the first time this season. Scottie Barnes added 26 points, Pascal Siakam 17 and Malachi Flynn 13.
“It irritates,” Barnes said. It is tiresome. We just try to find ways to win, it was definitely a winnable game. We could have taken the lead by a lot in the first half. They had a good streak late in the second quarter to get back into the game.
“Losing is no fun. I don’t think any of us like to lose. We all have to stay positive, keep that mindset. »
Kevin Durant had 28 points for the Nets (18-12), who swept their four-game series against the Torontonians.
The Raptors, who started with a 16e five different starters, the highest total in the NBA, took an 18-point lead in the first half but suffered misses in the third quarter. They missed all five of their three-point attempts, and their 10-point halftime lead suddenly turned into a four-point deficit. The Queen City club trailed 88-84 with a quarter to play.
Barnes was then at the heart of a comeback for the Raptors. He scored a big basket to give his team a one-point lead with 36 seconds left. Irving did, however, find former Raptors member Yuta Watanabe, who made a three-point shot with 14.1 seconds left.
With eight seconds left, Barnes capitalized on two free throws to tie the game. Seconds later, Irving landed the knockout blow, handing the victory to the Nets.
“Honestly, I was thinking about putting a basket,” admitted Irving. I saw Juancho (Hernangomez) arrive a little earlier so I stopped my race and took my time. I found my balance. »
The Raptors blew a 16-point lead in a one-point loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.