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Nets take care of business against the Raptors, 113-106, winning their 7th straight

The Nets have now won seven straight games, and are 9-1 under P.J. Carlesimo.

By Tom Lorenzo
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

It was just another 2013 game for the Nets, who took their game beyond the arc to defeat the Raptors, 113-106, winning their 7th straight game.

Gerald Wallace (ribs) remained out for the Nets, while Andray Blatche (illness) did dress and play. For the Raptors, Amir Johnson was dealing with ankle issues, which kept him out of the starting lineup, but he still did dress and play 25 minutes.

It was the combo of young bigs for the Raptors, Johnson and Ed Davis, that it was assumed would give the Nets fits in this one, and they were certainly a handful in this one -- at least early on -- but were quieted by the Nets defense in the second half. A defense that forced 13 Raptors turnovers.

Davis and Jose Calderon lead the Raptors on a nice fist quarter run, scoring 15 of the team's 27 first-quarter points. On the Nets side of the ball, it was Deron Williams and Brook Lopez who really got the offense started, scoring 15 points, with Lopez pulling down five rebounds. The first quarter ended with the game tied at 27-27.

The bench wasn't able to provide any distance, early on, for the Nets. They were out-played by the Raptors' second unit, finding themselves in a 10-point hole midway through the second. The Nets failed to make a FG until midway through the second, when Mirza Teletovic entered the game and sparked the team by hitting a corner three. From there, it was #Mirza time.

Teletovic hit two threes late in the quarter to give the Nets a 3-point lead. He finished the half with 10 points -- three threes.

The Nets carried a 54-50 lead into halftime.

Once again the Nets found some offensive magic in the third quarter. In fact, they've been playing so well in the third, we might have to retire the "3rd quarter struggle" as a thing soon. The Nets scored 29 points in the third, highlighted by some beautiful passing from Teletovic and nice low-post play from Lopez.

In the fourth quarter, the Nets slowly built up their lead, pulling ahead by 15 points early on the quarter and never looking back.

Kyle Lowry went on a little run midway through the 4th to make it interesting, but the Nets got good looks behind the three point line by Johnson (twice) and C.J. Watson to put the game away.

If you can say one thing about this performance, it's that this team truly is confident and playing some great basketball.

For the sixth straight game, the Nets bench has scored 30-plus points. And, yes, in those games they are 6-0. Teletovic had 10 points in 21 minutes, while Andray Blatche went for 14 of his own.

Deron Williams played 42 minutes, scoring 21 points, while Joe Johnson added 21 points and Lopez went for 22 of his own.

The concern, however, is that with the Nets' starting backcourt playing heavy minutes, they have to turnaround and play in Atlanta tomorrow night. I suppose we can cross that bridge when we get there.

For more on the Raptors, see: RaptorsHQ - Raptors Final Score: Lowry-led Comeback Falls Short, Lose to Nets 113 - 106

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