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. cheap jerseys . Scott already has served three games while waiting for an in-person hearing, which was held Thursday morning. Scott was issued a match penalty for charging and ejected for his hit on Eriksson early in the third period of Bostons 5-2 win on Oct. Cheap Atlanta Braves Jerseys . Zimmermann (7-1) allowed nine hits and two runs in 7 2/3 innings, struck out five and walked none. Harper left the game in the fifth after hitting the scoreboard wall face-first while tracking a ball hit by A.J. Ellis over his left shoulder. He never looked at the wall and when he finally turned, he was on top of it. http://www.jerseyscheapnfl.us.com/ . -- Turns out that Tiger Woods won the last edition of the Chevron World Challenge. Cheap Montreal Expos Jerseys .C. -- The B. Cheap Washington Nationals Jerseys . Eakins, who has been with the Toronto Marlies since 2009 and has two years left on his three-year AHL deal, has received plenty of interest so far from the Canucks, New York Rangers and Dallas Stars, as well as the Edmonton Oilers for an associate coaching position. MILAN, Italy -- Juventus let a two-goal lead slip at home to Chievo Verona and was held to a 2-2 draw that all but ended its hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season. Juventus remains in seventh place -- outside the Europa League places -- and five points behind Udinese in the final Champions League spot. Alessandro Del Piero opened the scoring with a penalty in the first half and Alessandro Matri then doubled the lead early in the second. However, Fernando Uribe grabbed Chievos first in the 68th, and with Juventus defence in disarray, Gennaro Sardo swept in the equalizer a minute later. Both sides went close late on and had shots cleared off the line, while Juventus substitute Luca Toni hit the post with a header. "We failed to stay calm, whereas Chievo Verona kept its head," Juventus coach Luigi Delneri said. "We paid for this lack of attention and Chievo took its chances very well." Juventus took the lead in the 13th, after Marco Motta crossed from right and Sardo wrestled Simone Pepe to the ground. Referee Andrea Gervasoni pointed to the spot and Del Piero fired in his eighth goal of the season. Alberto Aquilani nearly made it 2-0 moments later with a shot that Stefano Sorrentino had to react quickly to and push over the bar. The midfielder then shot over from Mottas pullback. Chievos best chance in the first period came in the 25th when Bojan Jokic cut in from the left and shot narrowly over Gianluigi Buffon and the Juventus goal.dddddddddddd Del Piero turned creator 10 minutes into the second half. He slipped the ball through the Chievo defence to his strike partner Matri, who took one touch and shot low past Sorrentino. Milos Krasic then went close twice in quick succession, before the defensive problems that have caused Juventus to concede 29 goals at home came back with a vengeance. Juventus failed to clear a corner, the ball fell to Uribe and he nipped in ahead of Andrea Barzagli to scramble home the ball. Moments later Chievo was level. Sergio Pellissier shot against the post and the rebound fell to Sarbo who swept the ball into the empty net with a first time shot. Chievo nearly completed an unlikely comeback, but Pellissier sliced his shot wide with only Buffon to beat Giorgio Chiellini twice came close with headers, the second of which hit the post and was cleared off the line. Chievo nearly took advantage when Buffon was caught off his line by Pellissier. He squared the ball to Uribe, but he shot weakly and allowed Claudio Marchisio to clear. Toni came on to fire Juventus faltering attack and nearly saved the day, but he had to watch his header hit the base of the post and rebound to safety. "Tonight was a great result for us and I am extremely satisfied with our performance," Chievo coach Stefano Piola said. "We had a bit of luck at times, but were able to take our chances when we had them." cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '