Raptors at Nets game-day Dino-bytes

A post-shootaround look at tonight’s Raptors game.

TORONTO (14-23) at BROOKLYN (22-15)

Barclays Centre

TIPOFF: 7:30 p.m.

TV: Sportsnet; RADIO: FAN590

WEB: We’ll be here with the usual in-game blog starting just before 7:30 p.m.

Probable starters

Toronto: Jose Calderon, DeMar DeRozan, Landry Fields, Ed Davis, Amir Johnson; Brooklyn: Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Keith Bogans, Reggie Evans, Brook Lopez.

Key backups tonight

Toronto: Kyle Lowry (was scoreless and ineffective Sunday vs. Milwaukee), Alan Anderson (shot poorly last game, needs to provide bench scoring); Brooklyn: Kris Humphries (ex-Raptor always seems to have a big games against Toronto), Andray Blatche (big man can have a big impact on the game).

Season series

Nets lead, 2-0.

Toronto was the foe when the Barclays Center hosted its first regular season and game and they played good guest by losing; teams also met at the Air Canada Centre with the Raptors being accommodating hosts.

All time, Toronto trails the series 33-34; and they are 12-31 on the road against the Nets. That, of course, includes games in New Jersey and two in London two seasons ago.

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What happened this morning

Everyone showed up

It looks as if Toronto’s two banged-up starters – Jose Calderon and Amir Johnson – are good to go after being hurt Sunday. And Kyle Lowry was back after an excused absence to attend a funeral.

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Starters blazing

Toronto had four starters with 20 or more points on Sunday and need close to that production this time around.

Against the Bucks it was DeRozan with 23, Johnson with 22, Calderon with 21 and Davis with 20.

The last time the Raptors had four 20-plus scorers in the same game was December, 2010, against Denver.

Oh, yeah, Toronto lost both those games.

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Esoteric stat, Part 1

Toronto’s had four straight games of more than 25 assists as a team.

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Red hot Nets

For all who wondered during his time in Toronto, if PJ Carlesimo would ever be a head coach again the answer is yes.

And a pretty successful one.

Since taking over from Avery Johnson, Carlesimo has coached the Nets to an 8-1 record and they are riding a six-game winning streak heading into tonight’s game.

PJ’s also taken the shackles off the offence, Brooklyn is averaging 101.8 points per game in his nine after averaging 94.5 per game under Johnson.

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Esoteric stat, Part 2

Amir Johnson has 11 assists in his last four games as a starter. Seven of those have led to Ed Davis baskets.

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Who’s in charge?

Marc Davis, David Guthrie and Marat Kogut blow the whistles tonight.

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Where to find us

Oh yeah, there was a late switch. The game will be on Sportsnet's main network; it wa s originally scheduled for Sportsnet One.