Joe Johnson had a strong game again, but couldn’t outduel DeMar DeRozan, left.
Credit: Getty Images
Paul Pierce said before Tuesday’s Game 2 that clutch shooting isn’t something you can “buy at Costco.” DeMar DeRozan already owns enough anyway.
DeRozan, who was a first-time All-Star this season, hit two huge mid-range jumpers back-to-back to give the Raptors an 89-85 lead with 2:10 to play.
They would never relinquish it in a 100-95 win.
DeRozan led all scorers with 30 points, while Joe Johnson had 18 for the Nets.
The Nets trailed by six points at halftime, but took control of the game in the third quarter, which has been a problem for the Nets historically. Brooklyn outscored Toronto 27-19 in the period to put it back on top with the final quarter to play.
The two teams traded the lead for much of the fourth quarter as head coach Jason Kidd kept the starters on the bench until under six minutes to play.
In keeping with a drawn-out series, Game 3 is not until 7 p.m. Friday at the Barclays Center.
Follow Metro New York Sports Editor Mark Osborne on Twitter @MetroNYSports.
