Cam Johnson hit a clutch 3-pointer with less than two minutes left on the clock in the final quarter and racked up an impressive 33 points to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a hard-fought 101-94 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night. Overcoming a 10-point deficit, Brooklyn showcased resilience and determination in a thrilling matchup.
The game took an unexpected turn when Brooklyn’s Nic Claxton was ejected with 8:46 remaining in the second quarter for throwing the ball into the stands. Despite his early exit, Claxton managed to contribute seven points in just 11 minutes of play. Nets assistant coach Juwan Howard intervened, preventing Claxton from causing further disruption by attempting to throw a cushion before the center made his way off the Brooklyn bench.
Johnson emerged as the hero of the night, pouring in 15 crucial points in the fourth quarter alone, propelling the Nets to their second win in eight games. Ben Simmons and Shake Milton chipped in with 12 points each, supported by Noah Clowney’s 11 points, as Brooklyn fought back from a 76-66 deficit late in the third period.
For Toronto, Scottie Barnes made a notable return to the court after missing the previous two games due to a sprained right ankle. Barnes made an impact with 16 points in 36 minutes of action. Ochai Agbaji led the way for the Raptors with 20 points, while Gradey Dick added 19 points in a losing effort as Toronto’s losing streak extended to six games.
The Raptors were missing key players, with center Jakob Poeltl sidelined due to a strained left groin sustained in Monday’s loss to Chicago. RJ Barrett was absent due to illness, and Davion Mitchell sat out with a strained right shoulder, further depleting Toronto’s lineup.
In a crucial moment of the game, after Toronto’s Jamal Shead missed a pivotal 3-pointer, Simmons grabbed the rebound and delivered a pinpoint pass to Johnson, who drained a momentum-shifting 3-pointer to secure the win for Brooklyn.
Toronto’s hot shooting from beyond the arc in the third quarter, going 7 for 11 from 3-point range, was not sustained in the final period as the Raptors struggled, shooting just 1 for 10 from deep in the fourth quarter.
Looking ahead, Brooklyn is set to face off against the Utah Jazz at home on Saturday, while Toronto will host the Houston Rockets on Sunday in a bid to snap their losing streak.
The matchup between the Nets and Raptors showcased a thrilling display of high-intensity basketball, with both teams leaving it all on the court in a fiercely contested battle. The game featured standout performances, tense moments, and a late-game surge by the Nets led by the sharpshooting of Cam Johnson, ultimately culminating in a well-deserved victory for Brooklyn.
