For the second time in as many games, the Boston Celtics went toe-to-toe with a strong opponent. But for the second time, they couldn’t come away with a victory.
In an offense-dominated affair at Air Canada Centre that saw both teams hit more than 50 percent of their shots, the Toronto Raptors finished strong Wednesday to earn a 115-109 win over the Celtics.
Boston used a strong effort from 3-point range (12 for 26) to erase an early double-digit deficit, but the Raptors closed out the game on a 10-4 run to secure the victory.
Isaiah Thomas did his best to campaign for an All-Star bid with a team-high 21 points and 10 assists. Avery Bradley dropped 19 points, while the hot-shooting Kelly Olynyk tallied 18 and Jae Crowder added 17.
Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan went off for a game-high 34 points to extend Toronto’s win streak to six games and drop the C’s to 22-21.
STARTING FIVE
Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, Amir Johnson, Jared Sullinger
INDEFENSIBLE
The Celtics couldn’t do much to stop the Raptors in the first quarter.
Toronto started the game absolutely on fire, getting open looks and knocking down 8 of its first 10 shots. Light-scoring forward Luis Scola led the way, taking advantage of Boston’s switch to a small lineup to drop 11 first-quarter points.
The Celtics managed 27 points in the first frame thanks to Thomas’ five points and three assists but surrendered 35, a season high for Toronto.
INTERNATIONAL SCORING SPREE
Olynyk and Jonas Jerebko helped Boston respond with a massive quarter of its own.
Boston’s two international imports lit it up in the second quarter, combining for 16 of the Celtics’ 35 points and going a combined 4 for 4 from 3-point range.
Thomas took things from there, dropping two assists and a running layup in the final two minutes as part of an 11-2 run to close out the first half.
DEM-ALL STAR
DeRozan likely will be playing in front of his home crowd in the 2016 NBA All-Star Game, and he proved why in the third quarter.
The dynamic guard dominated the third frame, scoring 18 of Toronto’s 40 points in the quarter to help the Raptors regain the lead in this seesaw affair. DeRozan went 7 for 10 from the field in the third and seemed to make every shot he threw up, including this incredible rainbow shot after he got fouled that didn’t count:
LIVING AND DYING BY THE THREE
The Raptors were ice-cold from 3-point range in the fourth quarter but found their stroke at the perfect time.
Toronto missed its first eight deep balls of the quarter, which allowed the Celtics to crawl back and tie the score with 3:20 remaining. Yet Kyle Lowry and Terrence Ross broke the slump by drilling huge back-to-back 3-pointers that pushed the Raptors to victory.
NORTHERN HOSPITALITY
Air Canada Centre gave Johnson a warm welcome.
The Raptors faithful gave a standing ovation pregame to the Celtics forward in his first game back in Toronto since he left the club after six seasons. Johnson also got a nice little video tribute in the first quarter.
PLAY OF THE NIGHT
Marcus Smart found Bradley with a perfect outlet pass in the second quarter, and Bradley finished with authority:
UP NEXT
The Celtics return home Friday, but their opponent won’t be any easier. Boston will take on the Chicago Bulls, who entered Wednesday as the Eastern Conference’s No. 3 seed behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Raptors. Tipoff at TD Garden is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Nick Turchiaro/USA TODAY Sports Images
