Rookie Jonathan Mogbo tied a career high with 17 points to lead eight in double figures as the Toronto Raptors pulled away midway through the fourth quarter and earned a 120-109 victory over the host Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.
The Raptors (29-50) beat the Nets (25-53) for the second time in less than two weeks in a game they led by as many as 23 and for the final 31:09.
Mogbo scored 17 for the second time this season on 8-of-9 shooting. He also added 11 rebounds and seven assists as the Raptors won for the fifth time in eight games.
Ochai Agbaji added 15 for the Raptors, who shot 50 percent. RJ Barrett and AJ Lawson contributed 13, Cole Swider and Jamison Battle each had 12, Orlando Robinson netted 11 and Jared Rhoden had 10 for Toronto, which held out Scottie Barnes (hands) and rested Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl.
The Nets rested Nic Claxton and also played without D’Angelo Russell (sore right ankle) and Cameron Johnson (lower back).
Brooklyn lost for the 19th time in 24 games and used its 40th different starting lineup as Reece Beekman and Drew Timme made their first career starts.
Beekman led the Nets with 14 points. Trendon Watford, Dariq Whitehead, Timme, Keon Johnson and Maxwell Lewis added 13 apiece, Tosan Evbuomwan scored 12 and Ziaire Williams had 11 as the Nets shot 47.6 percent and committed a season-worst 24 turnovers.
After Toronto took a five-point lead through the opening 12 minutes, a 3 by Battle gave the Raptors the lead for good and they outscored Brooklyn 26-11 over the final 7:18 and held a 61-46 lead by halftime.
Toronto took its first 20-point lead when Agbaji’s 3-pointer made it 68-47 nearly three minutes into the third. Brooklyn stormed back and outscored the Raptors 25-14 the rest of the quarter to cut the deficit to 82-72 entering the fourth.
The Nets were within 101-93 following a layup by Beekman with 6:25 left.
Hoops by Agbaji and Robinson pushed the lead to 106-93 with 5:19 left and Agbaji’s dunk made it 112-97 to seal it with 3:12 remaining.
–Field Level Media
