Toronto @ Brooklyn preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 15, 2017 ) Brooklyn 87, Toronto 120

The Toronto Raptors' current road trip is going much better than the last and they will try to cap a perfect three-game voyage when they visit the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. The Raptors, who had an 0-2 trip after Christmas, have won the first two legs of this excursion and four straight overall, during which they are averaging 123.8 points.

"This was just a good team win," guard Kyle Lowry told reporters after Friday's 129-110 victory at Milwaukee. "I think we had seven guys in double figures tonight. That's pretty impressive, especially considering the team we beat. That's a good, good team. They are really talented. This was a good win for us." Toronto has won 16 of 19 overall and one of its more lopsided victories in the hot stretch was a 120-87 rout of the Nets at home on Dec. 15, the Raptors' ninth consecutive triumph in the series. Brooklyn hopes to be more prepared defensively this time around and it is 3-2 in its last five games while allowing an average of 94.8 points. Both losses were respectable single-digit setbacks to Eastern Conference-leading Boston, including Saturday's 87-85 loss in the third of five straight at home for the Nets.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet ONE (Toronto), YES (Brooklyn)

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (27-10): Toronto utilized a 43-19 third quarter to run away from Milwaukee on Friday and center Jonas Valanciunas was the catalyst, scoring all 20 of his points in the period in what coach Dwane Casey called a "masterful" performance. "I don't look for special motivation, I'm always motivated to play hard," Valanciunas told the Toronto Star. "That's what I did in the third quarter. I was just going, trying to find the rhythm, trying to find the flow. I did it. I had good passes from teammates. My job is to finish." Two games removed from his franchise-record 52-point effort against the same Bucks squad, DeMar DeRozan was held to 20 but he shot at least 50 percent from the floor for the season-high fourth straight time.

ABOUT THE NETS (15-24): Brooklyn is hoping to get guard Caris LeVert (groin) back from a two-game absence and it is holding its breath on forward DeMarre Carroll, who left Saturday's game with a knee injury. While the injuries pile up a bit, the Nets are encouraged by the play of center Jahlil Okafor, who had 12 points, five rebounds and two blocks in 13 minutes in his third game since being traded from Philadelphia. "The guys in the locker room encouraged me and supported me to try to attack," Okafor told the New York Post. "Whether that means scoring or making a play for them. When your teammates believe in you, it makes it a lot easier."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. DeRozan scored 31 points and Lowry had a triple-double in the 33-point win over Brooklyn last month.

2. Nets PG Spencer Dinwiddie has scored at least 20 points in back-to-back games for the second time this season.

3. Raptors F Serge Ibaka is avearging 18.5 points while shooting 15-for-24 over the last two games.

PREDICTION: Raptors 110, Nets 102