Community Picks: Brooklyn Nets 0% vs Philadelphia 76ers 0%

The Nets conclude the longest trip of any team this season with Friday night's matchup against a 76ers team looking to avoid a 14th consecutive loss. Brooklyn (18-46) has started to feel the effects of a nine-game, 18-day trek that began Feb. 23 against Portland. After allowing Minnesota to shoot 68.4 percent - the highest by any team in 18 years - in a 132-118 loss Saturday, it failed to hold to a 16-point halftime lead in Tuesday's 104-99 defeat to Toronto. Continue to Article

March 10, 2016 5:15:pm EST

Khris Middleton and the Milwaukee Bucks held off the streaking Miami Heat. Middleton made four free throws in the closing seconds to help the Bucks beat the Heat 114-108 on Wednesday night. ''We just wanted to stay with it, execute down the stretch,'' Middleton said. Continue to Article

March 10, 2016 12:11:am EST

March 8 (The Sports Xchange) - Highlights of Tuesday's National Basketball Association games. Raptors 104, Nets 99 The Toronto Raptors erased a 16-point third quarter deficit and hung on to beat the Brooklyn Nets 104-99 on Tuesday night at Air Canada Centre. DeMar DeRozan led the way with 25 points while Kyle Lowry added 23 points and nine assists. With the win, Toronto (42-20) has now won three straight against Brooklyn this season and avoided a second consecutive home loss -- something they haven't done since December. ... Continue to Article

March 09, 2016 1:11:am EST

TORONTO – During this recent stretch where the Raptors’ defence has been suspect, it was not an ideal time for their offence to go dormant as well. Fortunately for the Raptors, the offensive doldrums lasted for just a half and they were also fortunate to be playing a team that's not used to holding such large leads. Toronto beat the Brooklyn Nets 104-99 on Tuesday night at the Air Canada Centre, outscoring the Nets 62-41 in the second half to erase the stench of what was a truly putrid first half.  The Raptors allowed the Nets – the NBA’s fourth worst offensive team – to shoot 53% from the field and 67% from three while shooting 40% from the field and 25% from three. The result was a 16-point halftime deficit and the result of that was an earful in the locker room from Raptors head coach Dwane Casey. Casey’s message was heard loud and clear. A 36-point third quarter had the Raptors within two heading into the fourth, and it didn’t take long for Lowry and the reserve unit that usually starts the final quarter to take the lead and stretch it all the way to 14. However, Brooklyn had one last run in them, cutting the deficit to as low as three, to make the final score strangely respectable. "Our guys didn’t play well in the first half," said Casey, stating the obvious. "It shouldn’t take me going in at halftime and jumping up and down and challenging them. We came out in the second half and that is who we have to be. "The second half is what we can be. That’s the good part, that’s the positive. The bad part is you play through that malaise, you feel like you’re better than this team and kind of go through the motions. That’s not a winning habit. A winning habit is the way we played in the second half." With only the historically inept Philadelphia 76ers keeping the Brooklyn from the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, it was plausible that the Raptors could rest either Kyle Lowry or DeMar DeRozan, especially with games against Atlanta, Miami, and Chicago still to come on this home stand. Ultimately Casey didn’t opt to rest Lowry or DeRozan, but the Raptors did make two changes to their starting lineup. Jason Thompson got the nod at power forward to give 35-year-old veteran Luis Scola a night off and rookie Norman Powell stepped in at small forward for James Johnson. Thompson was signed by Toronto last week after being waived by the Golden State Warriors to provide frontcourt depth and scored nine points in 24 minutes. Prior to sitting this one out, Scola had started every one of the Raptors’ 61 games this season. "I thought giving Luis a rest tonight was important," said Casey. "We’ll do that periodically down the stretch here with different people." Lowry was rested in a game a week and a half ago against Detroit . Given the heavy load he’s carried this season – Lowry’s third in the NBA in minutes per game – it makes sense that he’ll get another game off soon. The good news is that it will be a preventative measure, instead of a reactive one as has been the case in the past. "This time last year he had taken some time off already. His back was bothering him a little," said Casey. "This year he’s got gas in the tank so it’s a different approach … And then two we have Cory [this year]. Cory has filled in admirably taking some of the usage defensively and offensively, so that’s helped a lot too." It would have been a nice bonus for the Raptors to get ahead early and get Lowry to the bench late in a blowout, but Toronto needed both their All-Stars to step up – Lowry scored 23 points in 42 minutes and DeRozan went for 25 in 38 minutes - to eek out a win against one of the worst teams in the league. The Raptors’ next three opponents – all currently in playoff spots in the Eastern Conference – won’t be as forgiving if Toronto gets off to another poor start. More NBA coverage from Yahoo Canada Sports: - - - - - - - Israel Fehr is a writer for Yahoo Canada Sports . Email him at israelfehr@yahoo.ca or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr Continue to Article

March 08, 2016 11:20:pm EST

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Brooklyn Nets have hired Trajan Langdon as assistant general manager. Continue to Article

March 08, 2016 12:11:pm EST