The Nets proved they could trade buckets with Toronto. But they also showed they couldn’t get a stop when they needed one.

After forcing six straight ties, the Nets never got a defensive stand — or got over the hump. And they finally broke, allowing 10 unanswered points in the waning minutes of a 119-109 loss before 18,038 at Scotiabank Arena.

After losing to the Raptors by the same scoreline at Barclays Center on Nov. 11, the Nets looked much better on the road Sunday night. They proved good enough to compete against one of the league’s hottest teams, but not good enough to win.

The contest saw six straight ties, the last at 104-104 with less than four minutes left. That’s when a 10-0 run broke the deadlock, and broke Brooklyn.

But from the perspective of Jordi Fernández, his Nets blew this one by coming out flat from the start. They allowed the first dozen points coming out of the gate, the first five points coming out of the half, and ended up with the fate they deserved.

“It just started with our intentions from the beginning, right? We were not ready to play. If you’re picking and choosing, then basketball gods go ‘Everything gets in the right place,’ ” said Fernández. “And obviously there was a couple of post-up plays where we come from the baseline, open up the 3, there’s no ball pressure [and] they made the 3. But forget the coverages, it’s just a matter of our starting unit started 12-0 in the first quarter and 5-0 in the third quarter.

“So to start the first half and to start the second half, we’re minus-17. I trust those guys, and those guys have done a great job and we battled back and we were fighting for the game, but if you put yourself in that situation, it’s just really hard. We came out flat with no energy, and it’s not the way you want to start games.”

Especially coming off the high of their best performance of the season, a convincing win in Boston on Friday night. But this was the hangover.

“Human nature hits and then you just don’t start the right way. So, lesson learned from us,” said Fernández. “I still trust those guys and we’re going to be better next time we’re in that situation. So there’s no starting games flat.”

The Nets (3-13) sit fourth in the lottery standings, a half-game ahead of Charlotte and Sacramento. They’re a full game behind idle third-place Indiana (2-14).

Tyrese Martin had a game-high 26 points off the bench, the second-highest scoring game of his career. Michael Porter Jr. had 25 points and six rebounds, and Noah Clowney added 22.

RJ Barrett exited the game with a right knee sprain and didn’t return for Toronto. But Scottie Barnes had 17, and Immanuel Quickley (13 points) had back-to-back huge 3-pointers in that 10-0 Raptors run.

Brooklyn was down by a dozen in the second half.

The Nets were trailing 70-58 early in the third quarter after Brandon Ingram drilled a 3. But they responded with a 15-4 run, including the last six straight.

Porter’s free throw pulled Brooklyn within 74-73 with 4:50 left in the third.

Brooklyn, which had never held a lead, tied the contest six straight times, several of them with Fernandez stealing minutes with Porter resting on the bench.

At 94-all on Martin’s 3-pointer.

At 96-all on Clowney’s free throw with 8:30 left.

At 98-all on Martin’s foul shot 50 seconds later.

At 100-all on another Clowney free throw.

At 102-all on Nic Claxton’s layup.

And finally, once Porter checked back in with 4:33 to play, the veteran had a tip-in just 9 seconds later to knot it at 104-104.

But after the Raptors went back ahead on Jamal Shead’s free throws, this time the Nets couldn’t keep pace. They allowed 10 unanswered to finally lose touch.

Egor Dëmin missed a 3, and after Claxton grabbed the offensive rebound, missed from inside. Quickley drilled a huge 3-pointer for a 109-104 lead, then hit another off a Brandon Ingram feed with 2:20 left. That was the nail in the Nets’ coffin.

“Last four minutes, that’s winning time,” said Quickley. “That’s when you got to be at your best…That’s winning time.”