The Boston Celtics traveled to the Scotiabank Arena Tuesday evening to take on the Toronto Raptors. The Celtics lost to Toronto on January 15th by double digits, but over a month later, managed to overcome the feisty Raptors, 111-101.
Derrick White was the fourth quarter hero again with multiple big plays down the stretch. He finished the game with 22 points, Jaylen Brown led the team with 24 points and Jayson Tatum had 19 points and 11 assists.
The Boston Celtics trotted out a truly bizarre starting five with Torrey Craig, Tatum, Brown, White, and Sam Hauser. For prosperity and possibly the only time in his career, Jayson Tatum took the opening tip for the road team. Jakob Poeltl was absent for the Raps, and the result was a free-flowing start to the game, with plenty of fast break points for both before Joe Mazzulla eventually called a timeout up 14-10.
Joe Mazulla’s love affair with double bigs was tested in this game as he opted for strictly wings for the first six minutes of the game. Neemias Queta would eventually be subbed into the game for a semblance of interior defensive presence. Hauser relished the extended early minutes with 2 rebounds, 1 block, and four early points highlighted by a tip-in over two outstretched Raptors. Queta was then rewarded on the fast break as Jaylen Brown laid down a nifty pass to the Portuguese big man for the powerful two-handed slam.
With big men Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis ruled out prior to the game, Queta looked locked in for a big evening off the bench. Speaking of being locked in, Payton Pritchard hit on his first three-pointer of the game as Boston went up 24-16. Pritchard would be joined by Jordan Walsh and rookie Baylor Scheierman in the lineup as Joe rolled the dice on the experimental rotations. The first quarter was a hectic pace, with plenty of highlights as Boston took a 35 to 24 lead.
Scottie Barnes was super fired up to take on the Celtics in this one, taking Queta strong to the hole and chirping in Tatum’s face. The Raptors second leading scorer poured in six straight points to start the second quarter and push Toronto back with 5 points. Barnes then drove again on Queta and drew another foul, which saw Neemias go to the bench with his third foul.
Boston would have just two points in the first four and a half minutes of the second quarter as Toronto cut the Boston lead to just one point. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum scored on consecutive plays as they broke the scoring drought for the second-placed team. Both teams started hitting three-point shots, Grady Dick hit the Raptors second three-pointer of the game, then Hauser and White connected for the C’s sixth and seventh triples on the evening.
The road Celtics finally started to roll as the second quarter progressed; White hit on another triple for his twelfth point, and Brown drove and connected on a sweet mini hook shot. Tatum started to get going, hitting on a pull-up three-pointer, assisting JB for a dunk in the key, and then hitting a floater as Boston pulled away by 12 points to lead 66-54 at the half.
Toronto started the third quarter strong, scoring the first seven points of the half as Boston struggled to keep pace. The Raps got the lead back to 6 points before Brown stopped the bleeding. With Boston lacking in size tonight, the team would look to everyone to contribute; this was evident on a second-chance weak-side rebound from Pritchard, who then found Tatum in the corner to step into a three-pointer. White had a monster block on Dick. Pritchard would then drive on the bigger-bodied Barnes to sell a head fake and lay the ball in, as Boston would go up by 12, 76-64.
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White had yet another huge block on RJ Barrett as the lanky guard denied the ball with two hands. Boston then found a waiting Pritchard, who calmly hit his third three-pointer and 15th point of the night. JD Davison would also see time in the third for Boston as Joe Mazzulla gave the stay-ready guys meaningful minutes in Toronto. Hauser hit on his 10th point of the night with a three-pointer at the top of the key, and then Pritchard had a last-second triple as time expired in the third quarter, Boston up by its largest lead of the night with thirteen, 89-76.
Brown was struggling with leg issues all night but returned to action in the fourth hitting on a step-back bucket over Barnes. He then drove on Barnes and connected on a bank shot in the key over a double team. The Raptors pesky length was making life difficult for Boston as soon as they brought the ball over the half way line. The Celtics turned the ball over multiple times to start the fourth and a Agbaji three-pointer saw Boston’s advantage shrink to just 8 points.
White went 4th quarter mode as he scored on consecutive baskets. First, he pulled off a nasty spin move that led to a floater and then he hit a deep three-pointer for his 19th point of the night as Boston steadied 102-93. Raptor rookie Jamal Shead drove and scored his sixth point to get it back to seven. Both teams traded baskets to finish it, as Boston would hold on against a pesky Raptor team.
The Boston Celtics next face the Detroit Pistons tomorrow night in Detroit on the second night of a back-to-back.
