Nets fall to Raptors 136-101, close regular season with third straight loss
TORONTO (AP) — RJ Barrett scored 26 points, Scottie Barnes had 18 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists for his ninth career triple-double, and the Toronto Raptors clinched their first playoff berth in four seasons by beating the Brooklyn Nets 136-101 on Sunday in the regular-season finale for both teams. Atlanta’s loss to Miami and Orlando’s loss at Boston gave Toronto the fifth seed in the East and a first-round matchup with fourth-seeded Cleveland. The Raptors and Hawks both finished 46-36 but Toronto swept the season series 4-0.
Toronto went 3-0 against the Cavaliers this season but the teams haven’t played since Nov. 24. Barnes shot 8 for 11 in his third triple-double of the season.
He’s the first player in Raptors history to have three triple-doubles in multiple seasons. Brandon Ingram scored 25 points, Ja’Kobe Walter and Jakob Poeltl each had 11 and AJ Lawson had 10 points as the Raptors posted their best record since going 48-34 and placing fifth in the East in 2021-22. That season also saw Toronto’s most recent playoff appearance, a six-game defeat to Philadelphia in the first round.
Tyson Etienne led the Nets with 20 points, E. J. Liddell scored 17 points, Chaney Johnson had 16 points and 13 rebounds and Ben Saraf scored 15 points.
Brooklyn (20-62) lost three straight to finish their worst season since posting the same record in 2016-17. The Nets, who went 26-56 last season, have lost four consecutive season finales. The Nets were without 10 players due to injury, a group that included Nic Claxton (sprained finger), Noah Clowney (left ankle), Egor Demin (left foot), Josh Minot (left ankle), Michael Porter Jr.