Barnes disappointed in return from injury

TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors were cruising along, leading by as many as 10 points, when their offence ground to a halt.

Cam Johnson went on a 13-4 run in the final 2:24 of the game as the Brooklyn Nets rallied past the Raptors 101-94 on Thursday for Toronto’s sixth straight loss. Johnson had 15 points in the quarter, just three fewer than the Raptors scored as a team over the 12-minute period.

“We just gave up more points than every other quarter,” said Scottie Barnes, who had two points, two turnovers and three personal fouls in the fourth. “That’s the quarter that we really need to lock in, get stops.

“We put (Johnson) to the free-throw line about eight times at the end of the game, but that’s a quarter you’ve just got to lock in and get stops and not be able to foul. You’ve got to just stay solid.”

Johnson finished with a game-high 33 points and 10 rebounds with six assists as Brooklyn (11-16) ended a three-game skid. Ben Simmons added 12 points, seven assists, and five rebounds.

Barnes had 16 points, six assists and three rebounds for Toronto (7-21) in his first game back since suffering a sprained right ankle. Barnes was inactive for 10 days but only missed two games after what looked like a severe injury healed relatively quickly.

“It felt bad at the beginning, but it feels great now,” said Barnes. “No problem with that.”

Barnes wasn’t pain free, however. He caught a sharp elbow to his hip in Thursday’s game, which he said was still sore an hour after the game ended.

Ochai Agbaji had 20 points on 4 for 8 three-point shooting for the Raptors, and Gradey Dick added 19 points on 4 for 8 three-point attempts.

Rookies Ja’Kobe Walter and Jonathan Mogbo started for the Raptors, bringing the average age of the lineup down to 22 years 187 days, the youngest in franchise history.

“Always a learning process when there is a young group out there, but I like playing out there with a group of young guys,” said Agbaji, who at 24 was the oldest Raptors starter. “Always have that energy and kind of that extra kind of chip on your shoulder being a younger team.”

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The youth movement was necessary with swingman RJ Barrett (illness) of Mississauga, Ont., and backup guard Davion Mitchell (strained right shoulder) out.

Brooklyn centre Nic Claxton was kicked out of the game 3:14 into the second quarter after throwing a ball into the stands after he was fouled by Raptors forward Kelly Olynyk.

Claxton was leading the Nets with seven points and five rebounds at the time of the technical foul and threatened to throw a seat cushion onto the floor after he was ejected.

“He knows he has to be better, especially this one,” said Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez. “You’ve got to control your frustrations, that’s no reason to do that. I understand that we all have emotions but the team needs him, his teammates need him.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2024.

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