Leonard 20 pts, 11 rebounds helps Raptors secure home turf against Nets

Kawhi Leonard scored 20 points and nabbed 11 rebounds as the Toronto Raptors defeated the visiting Brooklyn Nets 122-105 Friday night. Leonard has scored at least 20 points in a career-best 18 straight games for the Raptors, who have won a season-best seven consecutive home games. In stretching their overall winning streak to four, the Raptors avenged a 106-105 overtime loss to the Nets in Brooklyn on Dec. 7. Pascal Siakam added 16 points for the Raptors, Serge Ibaka had 14 points and nine rebounds, Norman Powell and OG Anunoby each scored 13 off the bench, Delon Wright added 12, Greg Monroe had 10 points and eight rebounds, and Fred VanVleet scored 10 points.

D'Angelo Russell scored 24 points, with six rebounds and nine assists for Brooklyn, Shabazz Napier added 15 points, and Jarrett Allen had nine points and 12 rebounds. The Raptors led by 24 points after three quarters and by 26 early in the fourth quarter. The Nets cut that lead to 12 with 4:56 remaining on Napier's layup to cap a 14-0 run. The Nets led 35-28 after the first quarter paced by 12 points, six rebounds and five assists by Russell. But the Raptors took a 12-point lead on VanVleet's 3-pointer with 34 seconds to play in the first half before Allen completed the first-half scoring by sinking 1 of 2 free throws and Toronto took a 64-53 advantage into the intermission.

A driving layup by Siakam gave the Raptors a 16-point lead with 8:55 left in the third quarter. Russell made consecutive jumpers to trim the lead to 12 with 4:41 remaining in the third, but when Siakam made 1 of 2 free throws with three minutes left in the period, Toronto's margin increased to 17. But eight straight points, highlighted by Powell's reverse layup after a Monroe block, put the Raptors up by 23 with 1:05 to go in the third. Wright's tip-in at the buzzer gave the Raptors a 99-75 lead after the third quarter, in which they outscored the Nets 35-22.

(With inputs from agencies.)