=== Nets look to stay hot against Raptors ===
 
 (Sports Network) - Don't look now but the Brooklyn Nets are creeping up the
 Atlantic Division standings and have taken flight since P.J. Carlesimo took
 over coaching duties.
 
 Brooklyn targets its seventh straight win when it welcomes the Toronto Raptors
 to Barclays Center Tuesday night in a matchup between division inhabitants.
 
 The Nets improved to 8-1 under Carlesimo with a 97-86 triumph over the Indiana
 Pacers on Sunday as Deron Williams led the charge with a team-high 22 points
 and nine assists. Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez scored 20 and 15 points,
 respectively, for the Nets, who are unbeaten in the New Year and have won
 eight of nine overall.
 
 "This was a big game for us, we had won five in a row, but most of them were
 against teams under .500," Williams said. "This was a good test for us, a good
 challenge against a good team. I'm glad we came ready and stepped up our
 game."
 
 Brooklyn has won five in a row at home and owns a 14-7 record in their new
 digs this season. The Nets are 10-3 against teams from the East at home and
 14-0 in games played against teams with a record below. 500.
 
 The Nets have steadily improved under Carlesimo, scoring 101.8 ppg in the last
 nine as opposed to 94.5 ppg under Avery Johnson, and sit two games behind the
 New York Knicks in the Atlantic. After tonight's game the Nets will start a
 home-and-home series with a trip to Atlanta on Wednesday.
 
 On the injury front for Brooklyn, forward Gerald Wallace (ribs) did not play
 against the Pacers and is questionable versus Toronto. He is averaging 9.8
 points and 5.5 rebounds this season.
 
 Toronto just went 3-3 on a recent homestand and look to rain on Brooklyn's
 parade. The Raptors had won two straight and 10 of 13 games until sustaining a
 107-96 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks Sunday.
 
 DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed five rebounds, while
 Amir Johnson contributed 22 points and 14 boards for the Raptors. Jose
 Calderon had 21 points and Ed Davis netted 20 in the loss.
 
 "We got off to a great start, but our second unit got us out of rhythm,"
 Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "Our second unit has to learn how to come in
 and keep it going."
 
 Johnson is averaging 18.3 points and 10.8 rebounds since cracking the starting
 lineup Jan. 6 versus Oklahoma City. Davis is posting averages of 13.3 points
 and 8.0 rebounds in that span, too. DeRozan averaged 16.2 ppg during the
 recent homestand and leads the Raptors with 17.9 ppg this season.
 
 The Raptors will return home this evening for a showdown with Chicago
 scheduled for Wednesday.
 
 Toronto has lost both of its meetings with Brooklyn this season and six of
 nine overall in the series. DeRozan is averaging 18.0 ppg in the two games
 against the Nets.
 
 01/15 10:39:58 ET