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TORONTO - In a match-up between first and worst, the unexpected Atlantic Division-leading Raptors (6-7) host the disappointing Brooklyn Nets (3-10) at the Air Canada Centre tonight. Watch the action live on TSN and listen on TSN 1050 Radio beginning at 7pm et/4pm pt. The Raptors maintained their spot atop the Atlantic Friday after defeating the Wizards, 96-88, for their second win in a row. Meanwhile, the Nets have been the NBAs biggest early-season surprise, coming into Tuesdays contest losers of five straight. After trading for future hall of famers Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in the summer, the Nets - who are due to spend $190 million this season on salaries and luxury tax, an NBA-record payroll - were the obvious favourites in the division. Instead, theyve struggled out of the gate and are just 1-7, allowing 104.8 points per game on the road prior to visiting Toronto. "Believe me, Brooklyns going to be okay," head coach Dwane Casey insisted. "Theyre going to bounce back. Theyre playing with injuries right now." "I just hope and pray they dont get it together [against us]." Whats the importance of being an early-season division leader? TSN 1050s Josh Lewenberg and Duane Watson weigh in and preview Tuesdays meeting with the Nets on this weeks Raptors Report podcast. Deron Williams and Brook Lopez have been ruled out for Brooklyn, as both remain out with left ankle sprains. Williams has sat out four of the last five games while Lopez will miss his sixth straight. With the Nets all-stars sidelined, their new additions have struggled to pick up the slack. Pierce is scoring 13.0 points per contest on 38 per cent shooting and Garnett is averaging 6.5 points, connecting on 35 per cent of his field goal attempts, all career lows. "Theyve just started slow," said Rudy Gay, who has been battling a bout of the flu thats been going around the Raptors locker room. "I know theyll pick it up, we just have to take care of them before they do." Torontos offence continues to evolve after getting off to rough start. The Raptors averaged 92.3 points in their first six games of the season but have scored 102.3 per contest since. They have recorded 20 or more assists in back-to-back games after accomplishing that feat just once in their first 11. "Were playing harder than our opponents," Gay said. "And no matter what shots go in, what plays work or not, not matter what they do, we play hard." Trends and Tidbits The Nets were victorious in three of four meetings with the Raptors last season but have lost six of their past eight visits to Toronto. Toronto has won consecutive games during the month of November for the first time since 2010, when they team had a four-game winning streak. Combined, the Atlantic Division has a record of 24-46. What to Watch For Control the pace For the most part the Nets have been at the mercy of their opposition. Last in the league in defensive efficiency and fast-break scoring, Brooklyn has been unable to impose their will on either end of the floor. They have been especially ineffective without their starting centre. The Nets have allowed over 113 points per 100 possessions in the five games Lopez has missed, according to NBA.com, and have allowed just 98.7 in the 244 minutes he has played. Who comes to play in the third? The Nets and the Raptors are two of the NBAs three worst third-quarter teams, in terms of point differential. Brooklyn has been outscored by a league-most 67 points in the third frame so far this season, while the Raptors - who have been a net positive in each of the other three quarters - are a minus-44 after the halftime break. "Weve got to meditate," DeMar DeRozan joked, searching for answers to solve his teams third-quarter dilemma. "Whatever weve got to do at halftime, weve got to do it. Weve got to understand thats a critical point of the game." Toronto has turned the ball over 59 times in the third and are allowing opponents to shoot 52 per cent. The Raptors were outscored 32-15 in the period before going on a fourth-quarter run during Fridays win, however the Nets were bested 34-15 after the break, which sealed their fate in Sundays 109-97 loss to Detroit. Who to Watch For DeMar DeRozan Quietly, DeRozan has bounced back after a slow start to the season and is playing some of the best basketball of his career. After shooting 6-of-25 in a double overtime loss to Houston, the Raptors guard is averaging 26.8 points, shooting 51 per cent from the field and 9-of-19 from three-point range in five games, three of which his team has won. DeRozan tweaked an ankle twice in Fridays win over Washington but has been practicing in full and insists it wont be a problem for him going forward. Joe Johnson With Williams and Lopez sidelined and Pierce and Garnett struggling, Johnson has become the focal point of Brooklyns offence. The Nets guard is coming off his best game of the season, scoring 34 points in Sundays loss. Johnsons three-point shooting has been one of the lone bright spots for Brooklyn early in the year. He was 8-for-10 against Detroit and is now shooting 46 per cent from long distance on the season. Injury Report Gay, Amir Johnson and Tyler Hansbrough all participated in shoot around despite battling bouts of the flu. Theyre all expected to play Tuesday. Williams and Lopez have been ruled out for the Nets, still nursing sprained ankles. Jason Terry (knee) and Andrei Kirilenko (back) havent been practicing and are unlikely to be available against the Raptors. Christian Kirk Cardinals Jersey .C. -- When Michael Jordan speaks, people still listen. Adrian Wilson Jersey . With their coach gone, they finally played offence the way he would have wanted. Amare Stoudemire made all seven shots in the first half, Anthony passed and shot well, and the Knicks shook off the surprising departure of their coach to rout the Portland Trail Blazers 121-79 on Wednesday night, snapping a six-game losing streak. http://www.nflcardinalsrookiestore.com/Cardinals-Zach-Allen-Jersey/ . Los Angeles announced its new deal for Kupchak late in the fourth quarter of a 145-130 loss to the Houston Rockets. Kupchak had one year left on his current contract. Adrian Wilson Womens Jersey . If Vettel wins at Suzuka on Sunday, and his nearest rival Fernando Alonso finishes worse than eighth, the German driver will join his compatriot Michael Schumacher and Argentine Juan-Manuel Fangio as the only men to win four consecutive titles. Chandler Jones Womens Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla.ARLINGTON, Texas -- Yu Darvish will get some extra rest before his next start after throwing 126 pitches in another near no-hitter. The Texas Rangers announced Sunday that Darvish will not start as scheduled Wednesday at Houston. The right-hander from Japan will instead pitch the series opener at home Friday against Toronto in place of lefty Martin Perez, who reported discomfort in his left elbow after not making it out of the fourth inning Saturday night in his third consecutive bad start. "I dont know because I dont know the particulars," manager Ron Washington responded when about his level of concern on Perez. "Weve just got to wait and see what the evaluation proves out." Perez allowed six runs and 14 runners (nine hits, four walks and a hit batter) in 3 2-3 innings of an 8-3 loss to Boston. Since the end of his 26-inning scoreless streak over three games, Perez (4-3) has given up 19 runs over 13 1-3 innings in his past three games, raising his ERA from 1.42 to 4.38. Perez will stay in Arlington for MRI and treatment instead of going with the team to Houston. The pitcher said he has never had elbow trouble in the past. "Im not nervous. I want to keep working and get in a good situation," Perez said after the Rangers 5-2 loss to Boston on Sunday. "I want to make sure everything is good. Its day to day." Darvish came within one out of a no-hitter Friday night in the sseries opener against the Red Sox before slugger David Ortiz grounded a clean single with two outs in the ninth on the aces 126th and final pitch.dddddddddddd That was just short of his career high of 130 pitches. Nick Tepesch was scratched from his scheduled start Sunday for Triple-A Round Rock, and is slated to pitch for Texas on Wednesday in Darvishs spot before the Rangers have a scheduled day off Thursday. Tepesch was 4-6 in 19 games (17 starts) as a rookie last year for the Rangers, but has spent this season at Round Rock. The right-hander is 5-1 with a 1.58 ERA in seven starts for the Express. Right-hander Scott Baker and infielder Josh Wilson both cleared outright waivers after being designated for assignment Thursday. Baker, who pitched 5 1-3 innings in relief in his Rangers debut Wednesday, accepted an assignment to Triple-A Round Rock. The Rangers were still waiting for a decision from Wilson, who can refuse the move. The extra rest for Darvish could also be good news for the Astros. Darvish was within one out of a perfect game during his first start of 2013 in Houston when Marwin Gonzalez singled through the pitchers legs. Darvish then lost a no-hit bid with one out in the eighth inning against the Astros last August. Last month in Arlington, Darvish retired the first 15 Astros batters and pitched eight scoreless innings in what became a 1-0 Texas win in 12 innings. ' ' '