NBA: Scottie Barnes leads Raptors past Nets to end 11-game skid

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) controls the ball as Brooklyn Nets forward Jalen Wilson (22) defends in the second half of an NBA game at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Scottie Barnes had 33 points and 13 rebounds and the Toronto Raptors ended an 11-game losing streak with a 130-113 victory over the visiting Brooklyn Nets in the NBA on Wednesday night.

Toronto’s Immanuel Quickley (elbow) returned after missing 22 games and added 21 points and 15 assists. Gradey Dick had 22 points and three steals. Ochai Agbaji scored 14 points, Jakob Poeltl amassed 12 points and nine rebounds, and Ja’Kobe Walter added 11 points.

Brooklyn’s D’Angelo Russell, playing his first game since his acquisition in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, scored 22 points off the bench.

READ; NBA: Scottie Barnes to miss 3 weeks with right orbital fracture

The @Raptors kick off 2025 with a W as they defeat the Nets, 130-113!

Scottie Barnes: 33 PTS, 13 REB, 5 AST
Immanuel Quickley: 21 PTS, 15 AST, 4 REB
Gradey Dick: 22 PTS, 4 3PT, 3 STL pic.twitter.com/G1jg1lsJqg

— NBA Canada (@NBACanada) January 2, 2025

Cameron Johnson scored 24 points and Keon Johnson finished with 17 for the Nets, who have lost three in a row and five of six. Nic Claxton had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Day’Ron Sharpe scored 11 points and Jalen Wilson added 10 points.

Brooklyn led 33-26 after one quarter.

Toronto took a 45-44 lead on Walter’s 3-pointer with 6:45 remaining in the second quarter. The lead reached four on Dick’s 3-pointer. Brooklyn answered with an 8-2 burst and led 65-64 at halftime.

READ: NBA: Celtics win by 54, hand Raptors 10th straight loss

Toronto shot 55.1 percent (27-for-49) from the field in the first half, and Brooklyn shot 50 percent (23-for-46).

Toronto opened the third quarter with a 9-3 run. The lead reached 10 points on Agbaji’s 3-pointer with 6:25 left in third.

Brooklyn responded with seven straight points. Brooklyn’s Noah Clowney fell on his back going for a rebound and went to the dressing room with 26 seconds left in the third quarter. He did not return.

Toronto led 94-91 after three quarters and started the fourth with a 10-4 surge to lead by nine with 8:22 to play.

Dick’s 3-pointer later bumped the margin to 10, and Agbaji’s trey increased the lead to 15 with 5:07 left. Quickley’s 3-pointer gave Toronto a 119-99 lead with 4:17 remaining.

Brooklyn’s Maxwell Lewis was helped off the court and taken to the dressing room after falling late in the fourth quarter.

Toronto’s RJ Barrett (illness) and Bruce Brown (knee) and Brooklyn’s Cam Thomas (hamstring) did not play. –Field Level Media