"Full squad Nets team is becoming a myth at this point" - Reddit shows Brooklyn Nets no mercy as they succumb to embarrassing 133-97 loss vs Toronto Raptors

Without Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons, probably no one expected the Brooklyn Nets to win against the near-complete Toronto Raptors. It's also likely nobody anticipated the thorough thrashing the Nets received at the hands of the visiting Raptors.

Heading into the game, the Raptors were in a funk, having lost four of their last five games, including back-to-back blowouts in their previous two matches. The Nets, on the other hand, just pulled a huge upset over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks. Despite playing without the healthy but ineligible Irving, the Nets had plenty of confidence and momentum.

Perhaps James Johnson’s blooper just a few seconds after the Brooklyn Nets won the tipoff was a harbinger of things to come. The Nets promptly watched the Raptors drop 42 points on them in the first 12 minutes of the game.

Eventually, Brooklyn trailed Toronto 71-48 in front of a disappointed Barclays Center crowd after two quarters. The game ended 133-97 in favor of the Raptors.

NBA fans on Reddit had a field day bashing the Nets for their lackluster display:

Barring free throws and points off turnovers, the Toronto Raptors feasted on a listless Brooklyn Nets performance. The game was so lopsided that Scottie Barnes, who was unstoppable in the game, and Pascal Siakam combined to score 36 points on their own.

Brooklyn’s entire starting unit, in contrast, barely managed to match their total.

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Are the Brooklyn Nets bound for the play-in tournament?

Two of the Brooklyn Nets' Big 3 should be enough to get them to the play-in tournament. [Photo: Fadeaway World]

As shocking as it seemed entering December last year, it looks increasingly like the Nets will have to try to win the NBA title via the play-in feature. They hold a 32-30 record after their loss to the Raptors, which put them in eighth place in the very competitive Eastern Conference.

The Nets’ spot in the play-in, though, is anything but guaranteed. The 11th-place Washington Wizards have managed to stay within striking distance to complicate the play-in race. Even the 12th-place New York Knicks can still pull a miracle and spoil the party.

Kevin Durant, though, is expected to be back on March 3 against the Miami Heat. With KD in the lineup and Irving available in road games, the Nets should be a shoo-in for at least a place in the play-in.

If they return to their December form, they could even spring a surprise of their own and grab at least the sixth spot to avoid any complications in entering the post-season.