Coming off their best win of the season to date, the Brooklyn Nets went north of the border to try to cool off a red-hot Toronto Raptors squad.

The Raptors had won 10 of their past 11 games entering Sunday night’s contest with the Nets. They made it 11 wins in their last 12 games with a 119-109 win over the Nets at Scotiabank Arena. Despite the loss, there were a lot of things to like from Brooklyn in this one.

Here are the three biggest takeaways from the Nets loss to the Raptors.

1. Nets Endure Early Raptors Push

tough take after tough take after tough take

Noah goin’ to work early pic.twitter.com/E4hklahr2F

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 23, 2025

You couldn’t script a worse start to this game for Brooklyn, who fell behind 12-0 just three minutes in. Brooklyn was sloppy on both ends of the court and gave Toronto all the momentum to start the game. It’s the kind of start that would’ve wrecked this Nets team earlier this season. But not this iteration of the team.

The Nets didn’t let that early Toronto push ruin the game and were able to respond with a 14-2 run to tie the game. That stretch to get back into the game was crucial, as it set the stage for the Nets to be competitive the rest of the way.

This is where fans can start to see growth in this young Brooklyn squad. Give a lot of credit to Jordi Fernandez and the veterans on the roster for keeping the team’s vibe high despite the slow start.

2. Tyrese Martin Leads Spark Off Bench

Rese for 3!

He’s got 13 pts in eight mins 📈 pic.twitter.com/XQTxAFZxTH

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 24, 2025

The Nets’ bench as a unit has been very hot and cold this season, but Tyrese Martin has been the most consistent player of that bunch so far. And his strong start to the season continued on Sunday against Toronto.

Martin entered the game right after that big Raptors run to start the game and helped lead the Nets right back into the game.

He finished the night with 26 points on 7-14 shooting from the field in 25 minutes. He also pitched in six rebounds, three assists, and two steals. This was an excellent performance from the 26-year-old former UCONN Husky. He’s quickly becoming a highly reliable option for this coaching staff to call on in any situation.

3. This Team Battles

TYRESE MARTIN. TIE GAME. pic.twitter.com/K0j3kUor61

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 24, 2025

The Nets had every reason to quit on Sunday night, but continued to fight until the very end. Even after a slow start to the game against a hot Toronto team, Brooklyn never gave up and went blow-for-blow with one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. Martin shone off the bench, and Michael Porter Jr., Noah Clowney, and Nic Claxton all made crucial plays to keep the game close.

Early on this season, the Nets played a multitude of non-competitive games. That’s changed over the past week or two, as the Nets have either won the game or battled until the end in almost every game. This team isn’t going to win a championship this year, but they’re building some winning DNA in the process, which is very important for a young team.