By Carlo Valdez
EBC New Jersey Bureau
BROOKLYN, New York (Eagle News) — A playoff contention preview, or maybe not. The Brooklyn Nets tried to rally to beat the second best team in the NBA, the Toronto Raptors, but fell short losing 115-105 to their Atlantic Division rivals on Wednesday.
D’Angelo Russell led the Nets with 27 points but it wasn’t enough against All-Star Kawhi Leonard and the Raptors.
Russell heated up in the fourth quarter cutting the deficit to five but the Raptors were relentless in defending their lead.
“Our effort was there. We could’ve focused a little bit more throughout the game knowing that that’s what’s eating us up,” Russell said. “We know what we’ve got to do.”
Nets Head Coach Kenny Atkinson acknowledged the Raptors dominance over his team.
“We just weren’t good enough, it’s as simple as that, they were the better team. I don’t know how else to tell you. They were the better team, start to finish,” Atkinson said.
Brooklyn lost four of their last five games with their playoff hopes dwindling down to the wire. The road ahead won’t get any easier as they play against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, Indiana Pacers on Sunday, and their last home game of the season, against Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
(Eagle News Service)
