Nets start, finish strong to down Raptors

Field Level Media|published: Sun 21st December, 20:56 2025

Dec 21, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) tries to get past Toronto Raptors forward/guard Scottie Barnes (4) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

Michael Porter Jr. had 24 points and 11 rebounds as the Brooklyn Nets withstood a rally by the visiting Toronto Raptors to earn a 96-81 victory on Sunday.

Noah Clowney added 19 points and Egor Demin scored 16 for the Nets, who have won two of their past three. They had lost five in a row to the Raptors. Nic Claxton scored 12 points

Brandon Ingram scored 19 points for the Raptors in the opener of a three-game road trip.

Immanuel Quickley had 17 points and 10 assists for the Raptors, who have lost two straight. Scottie Barnes was held to six points.

Brooklyn took a two-point lead into the fourth quarter after leading by 13 late in the third. Toronto scored the first four points of the fourth to lead by two.

The Nets dug in and Demin's 3-pointer gave them a 79-73 lead with 7:55 to play. After a Toronto turnover, Clowney nailed a 3-pointer for a nine-point Brooklyn lead. Claxton's dunk put the Nets ahead by 13 with 4:42 left and they took control of the game.

The Nets used an 11-0 run on the way to taking a 24-18 lead after a scrappy first quarter that featured 13 turnovers, seven by the Raptors.

Toronto showed some spark and opened the second quarter with a 13-2 burst to go ahead by five points. The Nets responded with five straight points to tie the game at 31.

Toronto's Jakob Poeltl had two points and two rebounds while playing 6:36 in the first quarter before leaving with a recurring back problem. He did not return.

Claxton went to the dressing room during the second quarter after taking an elbow in the face. He returned for the third quarter with a bandage over his eye.

The Nets finished the defense-oriented first half with a 13-3 spurt to take a 49-39 lead.

The lead reached 15, before Toronto reduced the margin to 10 on Ja'Kobe Walter's dunk with 6:00 remaining in the third quarter. Zaire Williams bumped the margin to 13 on two free throws with 1:47 left. Toronto rallied with an 11-0 run to shrink Brooklyn's lead to 67-65 after three quarters.

--Field Level Media

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