Nets Face Raptors in Crucial Matchup for NBA Draft Odds

Brooklyn's matchup tonight against Toronto could have significant implications for the NBA Draft.

Jan 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell (1) reacts to an official's call as Toronto Raptors guard Ochai Agbaji (30) looks on in the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

As the NBA regular season winds down, not only is the playoff race heating up, but the lottery race for teams at the bottom of the standings as well. At 23-49, the Brooklyn Nets are in line for a high lottery pick, but they're duking it out with multiple teams for top-five odds.

The Philadelphia 76ers are Brooklyn's biggest threat, but the Toronto Raptors aren't too far behind 25-47. Tonight, the Nets and Raptors are set to face off at the Barclays Center in a game that has serious implications for the lottery.

The series between the two teams is split 1-1, so tonight gives either team series leverage for the tiebreaker. They'll face each other two more times this season, but tonight's game would either expand or tighten the gap between them. The Nets, who are 12th in the Eastern Conference are two games above the Raptors (11th in the East) in the lottery standings.

With Cam Thomas, Cam Johnson, and Day'Ron Sharpe all out for tonight's matchup, Brooklyn has a good chance to drop this game. However, the Raptors also have key players out, including Brandon Ingram, Jakob Poeltl, Immanuel Quickley, and Gradey Dick.

RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes will lead Toronto tonight, while Brooklyn will have to rely on D'Angelo Russell and Nic Claxton. The Raptors have a better group in place, which means the Nets are likely to lose this game and potentially pass the 76ers in lottery odds, who have an easy matchup against the Washington Wizards tonight.

It's never fun to hope your team loses games, but with the Nets having just 10 games left in the regular season, the time to drop games is now. The ultimate goal for all lottery teams is to get a good shot at landing the No. 1 pick, which would bring in generational prospect Cooper Flagg. He has the potential to change a franchise at just 18 years old.

The Nets have lost five in a row up to this point, while the Raptors won their last game against the Wizards. Again, there is momentum for Brooklyn to drop this one at home.