Paul Pierce leads the way for the Celtics, who take over the game in the second half after a back-and-forth start. The captain finishes with 30 points, seven assists and four rebounds, a solid performance to lead the team to victory. Glen Davis also flirts with a triple-double after a slow start — he finishes with 15 points, 11 boards and eight dimes.
DeMar DeRozan terrorizes the Celtics for 27 points, six rebounds, two assists, three steals and a block, but it isn't nearly enough.
The Celtics have no time to celebrate this one. They head home to Boston, where they'll host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night.
Fourth quarter, 3:03, Celtics 87-75: Ray strikes again, and it's a 12-point lead for the first time. Timeout, Toronto.
The Celtics have gotten 28 points from Pierce, 23 from Allen and 36 from everyone else.
Fourth quarter, 3:35, Celtics 85-75: Ray Allen for three. Deadly.
Ray now has 21 points on the night, and the Celtics have the first double-digit lead. We've been through all kinds of ups and downs in this game, but it looks like the C's might finally stay up.
Fourth quarter, 4:32, Celtics 80-75: Uh oh. Here comes the Raptors. In a game of runs, this looks like yet another one — a 4-0 streak for the Raps, plus a couple of free throws coming from Joey Dorsey.
The Celtics need to get their focus back.
Fourth quarter, 6:26, Celtics 78-71: Doc Rivers is sending his starters back in. If they can bear down for a few minutes and get a few stops, the C's will have themselves a win.
The Raptors have only one field goal in their last 3:22. No wonder Jay Triano just called a timeout. He needs his guys to wake up, and fast.
Fourth quarter, 8:31, Celtics 76-68: Nate Robinson just managed to penetrate and get himself a good look from mid-range rather than pulling up for a 3. Why can't he do that all the time?
Nate has only four points so far in this one. He probably misses the starring role of being in the starting five, but when he stays within himself, he can help this team win.
Fourth quarter, 9:22, Celtics 74-68: Just when you thought the Raptors were angling for a comeback, Ray Allen steps up and hits a big wing 3 to put the C's back up by six.
Ray now has 16 points on 7-of-13 shooting, 2-of-3 from 3-point range. Quietly a very, very solid night for him.
End of third quarter, Celtics 71-62: Don't look now, but Glen Davis has come out of nowhere to put together a near-triple-double for the Celtics. He's got 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
The Celtics are starting to pull away, thanks in no small part to Big Baby's big efforts. They went on runs of 9-3 and 13-5 to close the third quarter, and they're ready to finish this thing.
Paul Pierce is also still outdueling DeMar DeRozan, 26 points to 23. Place your bets on how that one ends up.
Third quarter, 2:05, Celtics 66-59: The Celtics are making their push. They're on an 8-2 run, and they've got a chance to put the Raptors away if they can string together a few more stops.
DeMar DeRozan now has 22 points, but he can't do this alone. The C's are clamping down on the super-athletic young Raptor, and Jay Triano doesn't appear to have a Plan B.
Third quarter, 4:26, Celtics 62-57: Ray Allen and Glen Davis both looked dead at halftime, but both guys have come to life in the third quarter. Allen now has 13 points, Davis now has nine, and the Celtics are now up by five points late in the third quarter.
Given the flow of this game so far, five points is a relative blowout. These two teams have been neck and neck all the way.
Third quarter, 6:02, Celtics 56-55: Hard to watch that without cringing — Linas Kleiza runs right into Rajon Rondo and hits his ankle, and Rondo falls to the ground clutching it.
Rondo doesn't look the same anymore. He's still running the floor, but he's a bit hobbled.
Doc Rivers said he would watch Rondo closely and yank him if he wasn't right physically.
Will he put his money where his mouth is?
Third quarter, 7:39, Celtics 54-51: Glen Davis just made one of two free throws to push the Celtics' lead back to three.
Big Baby's game has been a little lacking. He's 2-for-9 from the field, with only five points.
Doc Rivers has talked about not trying to do too much. This could be Baby's chance to prove he's listening.
Third quarter, 10:14, Celtics 46-45: Not a good start to the second half for the Celtics — Shaquille O'Neal has quickly picked up his fourth foul.
The C's could really use Shaq in this matchup — the Raptors are really lacking a defender that can stop him. But if the Diesel keeps picking up dumb fouls, we'll never know.
DeMar DeRozan just cut the C's lead to one with a free throw.
Halftime, Celtics 43-42: Someone must have thrown us in a time machine and hauled us back to 2006, because Paul Pierce is doing it all himself.
The Celtics' captain has 20 points and six rebounds to lead the way, and the team clings to a slim lead at the break. DeMar DeRozan came on strong early on, but he's still got only 13 points at the break and he's been outdueled thus far by Pierce and the Celtics.
Rajon Rondo's got two points, two assists and four turnovers for the C's in his first game back. He's not quite in midseason form.
If the C's could get someone besides Pierce to lend a helping hand, they'd be in really good shape for the second half.
Second quarter, 1:09, 42-42: The big first half for Paul Pierce continues, as the captain gets into the lane and gets a bucket with a chance for a three-point play.
In a moment, Pierce will be shooting for a Celtic lead and a 20-point half.
Second quarter, 2:12, Raptors 40-38: Wow, what a streaky game. Just when you thought the Celtics were in control, the Raptors rattle off seven quick points and take over again.
DeMar DeRozan now has 13 points, but the Raps are getting offense from all over the place. Ed Davis just got a bucket inside to put them up two.
Second quarter, 4:10, Celtics 36-33: The Raptors finally break up their scoreless drought after more than four minutes. The C's have completed a 10-0 run to take over the game, and with Shaq on the floor doing his thing, they're in good shape to hold their lead.
The Raptors can't get anything going inside. Between Shaq's presence as a shot-blocker and Big Baby's energy on the glass, they're really hamstrung.
Second quarter, 6:10, Celtics 33-31: The Celtics have leapt back out in front with a 7-0 run, capped off by a deep 3 by Paul Pierce. Credit Rajon Rondo with — finally — his first assist.
Shaq has checked back in for the Celtics despite his two fouls. If he can keep out of trouble and stay on the floor, the C's really have a chance to exploit a mismatch and get him going offensively.
Second quarter, 8:42, Raptors 29-26: Von Wafer just pulled a Rajon Rondo, darting into the lane and getting a clean look at the basket. The Raptors' lead has been trimmed to three.
Wafer is developing more and more confidence as a member of the Celtics' second unit. All along, he wanted Delonte West's minutes, and now that he's getting them, he's making the most of them.
Second quarter, 9:57, Raptors 29-24: The Celtics come out flat to open the second quarter, enabling Ed Davis and Linas Kleiza to fuel a 6-0 run at the outset.
The C's second unit is going to take some time to figure things out. Jermaine O'Neal and Luke Harangody don't exactly have a lot of experience playing together, and the newfangled front line has to work out the kinks a little bit.
End of first quarter, Celtics 24-23: It takes a jumper from Nate Robinson in the final seconds to seal the deal, but the Celtics do have a one-point lead at the end of the first quarter.
The story of this quarter isn't the Celtics' lead, though, and it isn't the return of Rajon Rondo. It's DeMar DeRozan.
Once again, the Raps' youngster has emerged as a go-to scorer. He had 37 points last time out, and now 10 already after one quarter. He's in takeover mode again.
Paul Pierce, meanwhile, has eight points and three rebounds for the Celtics.
First quarter, 3:23, Raptors 16-15: And just like that, it's an 8-2 run for the Raptors. They may not be the world's most consistent squad, but they can go on runs. They've got good athletes that can hit shots.
The C's are dipping into the fountain of youth. It'll be an early entrance for Luke Harangody.
First quarter, 5:31, Celtics 13-8: Add Shaquille O'Neal to the "early foul trouble" list. He's picked up two quick ones — it's time for Jermaine O'Neal to make an early appearance than usual.
Paul Pierce has been the star of the evening so far. He's got five points and three rebounds for the C's.
First quarter, 6:04, Celtics 11-8: The Celtics have a modest lead early, but just wait until the Raptors correct their early shooting struggles. They're 3-for-10.
The C's will also be without Rondo for a significant stretch in this first half, as the point guard has two early fouls to his name.
Nate Robinson's about to make an early entrance.
First quarter, 8:03, Celtics 7-6: If you thought Rajon Rondo would be tentative in his first game back from injury, then you obviously don't know Rajon Rondo. The Celtics' point guard is already diving all over the floor and charging into the lane for buckets.
He's back. It's official.
First quarter, 9:46, Raptors 4-3: Nice move by Paul Pierce to get into the lane and draw a foul from Jose Calderon for a three-point play. After a little drought to open, the C's are on the board.
Pierce has been getting three-point plays like that for longer than a couple of these Raptors have been alive.
First quarter, 11:27, Raptors 2-0: We're underway at the Air Canada Centre, and DeMar DeRozan gets the Raptors on the board early by knocking down a mid-range jumper.
By default, DeRozan is a force to be reckoned with. With a handful of his teammates missing in action, the young swingman has stepped up in a big way as a go-to scorer.
He had 37 on Friday night against the Rockets, and he's already got two in this one.
5:35 p.m.: Surprise!
The Celtics were all set to tip things off Sunday night without Rajon Rondo in the lineup, but at the last minute, Rondo managed to talk the C's staff into letting him play. That kid's a competitor.
After seven consecutive starts, Nate Robinson returns to the bench.
Good news for the C's, who are 1-0 against the Raps this season with Rondo and 0-1 without him.
5 p.m.: We've been waiting almost three weeks now for the return of Celtics guard Rajon Rondo, and it looks doubtful to happen Sunday against the Raptors.
Expect to see Nate Robinson in the starting lineup once again as the C's take on the Raps — and remember, it was here in Toronto six weeks ago that Robinson made his first start, going off for 22 points fueled by a big start.
The C's have won plenty without Rondo before — they're 7-4 this season without him, to be exact. Looks like they'll have to do it again Sunday.
8 a.m.: What do you get when you take a sub-par basketball team, throw in a strained calf for your leading scorer and a broken foot for your leading rebounder, and sprinkle on top a handful of injuries to virtually every guard on your roster?
You get the Toronto Raptors, who have lost four of their last five games and 10 of their last 13.
With recent injuries to Andrea Bargnani, Reggie Evans, Jose Calderon, Sonny Weems, Jerryd Bayless and Peja Stojakovic, the Raptors have been just devastated. They'd had to trot out 18 different players this year, starting 11 of them multiple times. On Sunday night, they'll take on a team that's been almost as injured.
The Celtics are without Kevin Garnett and they might not have Rajon Rondo, either. Their supporting cast has also taken a beating. Sunday brings a war of attrition, as the injured Raptors and the injured Celtics go head to head. One will come out alive.
