Toronto Raptors: 3 early takeaways from NBA playoff series vs Nets

2. Nets’ short bench leaves Raptors room for late surges

A limited bench allows the starters greater room to play most of the 48 possible minutes of game time, but it leaves players exhausted and struggling for rest, and when that happens, they fall behind against fresher, superiorly talented teams.

Game 2 was all too evident of this.

The Nets controlled the first three quarters, answering any Raptors comeback attempt with a swift basket in the paint or a quick 3-pointer. They played hard for head coach Jacque Vaughn, as seen in parts of Game 1 and through the seeding games, but that only went so far in Game 2. Toronto outscored them 30-19 in the fourth quarter, going deeper into its bench; not quite as far into it, but enough to keep players fresh down the stretch.

Unless Vaughn makes adjustments for Game 3 and uses more players, Toronto is in the driver’s seat for wearing Brooklyn down as the games continue, taking advantage and making this an insurmountable gap, if it’s not already.

Even if Vaughn expands the bench, though, it leaves players like Justin Anderson and Lance Thomas for playing time, whom the Raptors can throw their wings and big men at and outmatch. So the advantages are clear, and it’s only a matter of time before this series ends and sends the upstart Nets home.