If the Nets made some shots, they might have come away with the win. Instead, an ice-cold shooting night led to a 110-102 loss to the Raptors in Toronto on Saturday.
The Nets shot 39 of 101 from the field and 12 of 46 from 3-point range. Against a Raptors team this well-rounded, even without Kawhi Leonard, the margin for error was already slim.
The Nets had already run into this monster at the end of the preseason when they lost 123-107. That was a game both Kyrie Irving and Caris LeVert played.
The two playmakers have not been available due to injury, and that didn't change on Saturday against the Raptors. Instead, the offense stagnated when the Nets couldn't make shots.
Garrett Temple shot 2 of 14 from downtown, Joe Harris shot 1 of 6 from 3 and Spencer Dinwiddie only made two of his six attempts from behind the arc. On a team that lives and dies by the 3, that won't be good enough to get it done, no matter who the opponent is.
The Raptors built a lead as big as 16 in the second quarter and 12 in the fourth. The Nets had no answer for Pascal Siakam, who dominated to the tune of 30 points, 11 rebounds,five assists, three steals and three blocks.
Toronto didn't have the best shooting night, either. It shot 39% from the field and Kyle Lowry shot 5 of 14 from the field. The Raptors, though, made timely shots. They also had a healthy roster. The Nets do not.
The Nets have been patiently awaiting the return of their two stars. They'll also welcome Wilson Chandler back from a 25-game suspension on Sunday against the 76ers.
They'll play one of the best teams in the NBA on tired legs. That's not the best recipe to win ball games.
A crucial ingredient was in the pot against the Raptors: ball movement. The Nets ran up 24 assists in their loss on Saturday. They played with the pass, as head coach Kenny Atkinson preaches, turning down good shots for great ones.
The Nets will need to do more of that if they hope to last against Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday. Just like against the Raptors, though, just moving the ball might not be enough.
