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The Toronto Raptors will head to New York to meet the Brooklyn Nets for the third time in the ongoing NBA season. The Nets, who have won three of their last five matches, are on the verge of being pushed to the ninth spot if they concede a few more consecutive losses. Steve Nash will need his team to be at their absolute best in order to remain in playoff contention.
Rocked by the loss of James Harden, Brooklyn might finally find peace in the coming week. The City of New York appears to have agreed to revise its vaccine mandate, as this is expected to allow star guard Kyrie Irving to finally play home games for the Nets.
Irving's part-time status has irked and impacted his team deeply this season. His return will bring stability back to this team that was expected to be a sure title contender.
Meanwhile, the Raptors, who are ranked seventh in the Eastern Conference, have performed impressively so far. They have won 32 of their 59 games but will head to Brooklyn with two back-to-back losses behind them. They currently rank 15th in offense and 16th in defense in the entire league. Toronto will need to be in their A-game on Monday if they want to defeat the new-look Nets.
The Raptors lost to Brooklyn in both their previous meetings this season. The most recent game, which was played on December 14th, was a tightly contested affair. The Nets won 131-129 because of Kevin Durant and Patty Mills' 30+ point performances. Toronto, however, may prove more difficult to beat in the upcoming encounter.
Toronto Raptors Injury Report
The Raptors will head into Monday with two of their players named in the team's official injury report. OG Anunoby, who has missed the last two games due to a fractured finger, will not suit up again on Monday. Meanwhile, Fred VanVleet, who is one of the best three-point shooters in the league, has been marked as questionable.
Brooklyn Nets Injury Report
The Nets will continue their road trip without Kevin Durant. Durant, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest players in the league, is recovering from an MCL sprain and will miss his 20th consecutive game. Ben Simmons, the latest signing from the Philadelphia 76ers, along with Kyrie Irving and Joe Harris, will also remain sidelined for various reasons.
Toronto Raptors vs Brooklyn Nets : Predicted Lineups
Toronto Raptors
VanVleet, who is averaging 4 three-pointers per game, will most likely start alongside Gary Trent Jr. in the backcourt. Meanwhile, Toronto's frontcourt will feature Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam and Khem Birch.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets' backcourt will feature Patty Mills and Seth Curry as the team's starting guards. In Kyrie Irving's absence, Mills has stepped up to become the team's de-facto point guard, performing admirably. The lineup will be completed by Bruce Brown, James Johnson, and Andre Drummond, who will make up the frontcourt.
Toronto Raptors vs Brooklyn Nets : Predicted Starting 5s
Toronto Raptors
Point Guard - Fred VanVleeet | Shooting Guard - Gary Trent Jr. | Small Forward - Scottie Barnes | Power Forward - Pascal Siakam | Center - Khem Birch.
Brooklyn Nets
Point Guard - Patty Mills | Shooting Guard - Seth Curry | Small Forward - Bruce Brown | Power Forward - James Johnson | Center - Andre Drummond.
Guess the Lakers players!
