Raptors put up another first-quarter stinker in loss to Nets

BROOKLYN, N.Y.—When it rains, it pours.

Raptors Gary Trent Jr. and O.G. Anunoby both went to corral a missed Nets shot in the second quarter without a Brooklyn player within 10 feet of them, neither could grab it and the ball remained with the Nets.

Seconds later, at the other end of the court, Scottie Barnes spied Christian Koloko with space near the rim and threw a lob pass that Koloko would have dunked had teammate Juancho Hernangomez not perfectly knocked him out of the play with a deft box out of his teammate.

What’s the adage about not being able to get out of their own way?

Things aren’t at a disaster point for the Raptors by any means but a second awful performance in a row should be cause for concern. Just not ready to execute any semblance of a game plan at the opening tip, the Raptors lost 114-105 to the Nets on Friday night, their second straight loss on a short but horrid road trip.

“For me, I’m just trying to make us get some progress and build some consistency,” coach Nick Nurse said before the game. “That’s been our issue: We can look dynamite one night and the opposite of dynamite another night.”

The Nets took a 42-17 lead after a quarter, were up 72-49 at halftime and ahead by 21 going into the fourth quarter. Even the predictable Raptors’ comeback was tepid; they cut a 36-point deficit to 15 in the third but at no point was there any realistic expectation they would make it a legitimate game.

It’s wrong to try to lay the blame for back-to-back lopsided losses on even a few players. No single Raptor had what could be described as a “good” game although O.G. Anunoby was less bad that others and finished with 21 points.

Pascal Siakam (24 points) and Fred VanVleet fought foul trouble, Gary Trent Jr. didn’t have nearly the same shooting prowess as he did in New Orleans on Wednesday and Scottie Barnes put up solid numbers (17 points and nine rebounds) but he wasn’t a true factor in the game. He limped off the court with a sore left knee with about 10 minutes remaining,

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