The Nets cross the border Friday, with their newest international player ready to take the court. The team will be facing the Raptors. In addition to being Sasha Vujacic's first game with New Jersey, Friday's game will mark another homecoming: It's assistant coach Sam Mitchell's first game in Toronto since he was canned two years ago.
Of course, it's also a chance for a two-game winning streak. The Raps are two games ahead of the Nets in the Atlantic Division race, but they've lost two straight and six of the last seven. Andrea Bargnani, the inconsistent but still promising 7-footer from Italy, leads Toronto but he may not even play vs. the Nets. Jose Calderon is also questionable.
For Mitchell, it will be bittersweet. He is, after all, the Raptor coach who survived the longest. "You think about it and you do feel proud that you helped get the organization back on track," Mitchell told the Toronto Star."We had it going there and I’m proud of the organization for getting things turned around. And I’m proud I was a part of it."
- New Jersey Nets Game Notes - New Jersey Nets
- Toronto Raptors Game Notes - Toronto Raptors
- Getting Inside - New Jersey Nets. - Sports Xchange
- Getting Inside - Toronto Raptors - Sports Xchange
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Nets-Raptors Preview - Stats LLC
- Vujacic to make Nets' debut tonight - Fred Kerber - New York Post
- Nets notes - Al Iannazzone - The Record
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Nets go on road to play Raptors - Al Iannazzone - The Record
- Raptors prepare to welcome former coach Sam Mitchell - Doug Smith - Toronto Star
- Not a lot of news so let's tell stories - Doug Smith - Toronto Star
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Raptors Rehab: Return of the mouth - Sportsnet Canada