Watch video above: Raptors’ fans are still confident the Toronto team can rebound after a loss in game 1. Rob Leth reports.
TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors are looking to tie their first round playoff series at one game apiece against the Brooklyn Nets Tuesday.
The focus will be on NBA all-star Demar DeRozan to up his game following a weak performance on Saturday.
The 24-year-old scored 14 points – well below his season average of 22.7 – in the Raptors’ 94-87 loss to the Nets in Saturday’s Game 1 of the best-of-seven playoff series.
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The series was heated before it even began after the Nets seemingly tanked to fall to sixth-place, preferring to play the inexperienced Raptors.
Toronto GM Masai Ujiri then threw gasoline onto the fire Saturday when he dropped an F-bomb when addressing the crowd in Maple Leaf Square, pairing the F-word with Brooklyn.
He was then issued a $25,000 fine by the NBA for his outburst.
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Meanwhile, the Raptors are hoping for a repeat performance by the Air Canada Centre crowd. A sellout crowd of 19,800 took in Game 1, clad in white T-shirts and waving white towels, thanks to a pre-game giveaway.
Hundreds more fans watched the game on the big screen in Maple Leaf Square outside the arena.
Following tonight’s matchup, the series shifts to Brooklyn for Game 3 on Friday and Game 4 on Sunday.
With files from The Canadian Press
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