Siakam's triple-double not enough as Raptors fall to Nets
Brooklyn star Durant breaks tie with three-pointer in final minute
Kevin Durant broke a tie with a three-pointer with 56 seconds left and had 27 points to help the Nets beat the Toronto Raptors 109-105 on Friday night in Brooklyn.
Durant's three gave Brooklyn a 105-102 lead.
"It's a game of runs. I like how we stayed with it, the resiliency that we showed," Durant said. "We were up double-digits and we let them come back twice. It was an up and down game, but we just kept fighting."
Pascal Siakam led the Raptors (1-1) with 37 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. Fred VanVleet added 18 points and Scottie Barnes had 17.
"The type of player I am, when I play at a higher level my team has a better chance to win," Siakam said. "I think anytime I play better by team is in a higher position to win. But when you lose, you have to flush it out and get on to the next one."
WATCH | Durant, Irving lift Nets over Raptors:
VanVleet's jumper with 38 seconds left brought the Raptors within one. But Royce O'Neale's three-pointer with 15 seconds left wrapped up the victory.
The Nets trailed 79-69 late in the third quarter, but Patty Mills' three-pointer capped a 9-0 run as Brooklyn pulled to 79-78 after three quarters. The streak continued into the final quarter, with Brooklyn scoring the first eight points to go ahead 86-79.
Irving was whistled for his fifth foul with 7:08 left, but Brooklyn challenged the call and it was reversed to an offensive foul on Scottie Barnes. Irving then hit a three and Nic Claxton followed with a driving layup to give the Nets their biggest lead of the game, 100-88.
However, O.G. Anunoby's three-pointer with 1:46 remaining capped a 12-0 Toronto run and tied it.
VanVleet needs just one three-pointer to tie Morris Peterson (801) for second on the Raptors' career list. Kyle Lowry has the franchise record at 1,518.
The Raptors will next face the Heat (0-2) in Miami on Saturday night.
