BOSTON — The Celtics caught a break at just the right time, and they made the most of that opportunity to pick up a crucial win.
Toronto Raptors All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry was a late scratch from Wednesday’s game with a sore right elbow, and the Celtics took advantage, outdueling the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed to earn a much-needed 91-79 win at TD Garden.
The Raptors’ deep roster didn’t make things easy, hanging with Boston the entire night despite Lowry’s absence. But the Celtics stepped up when it mattered most, getting key shots from Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley down the stretch to pick up their third consecutive win heading into a five-game road trip.
Thomas racked up a game-high 23 points, while Evan Turner notched 17 and Bradley contributed 16. Amir Johnson continued his strong play with 11 points, 14 rebounds and five assists.
DeMar DeRozan tallied 21 points for the undermanned Raptors, who managed just 33 points in the second half en route to their first loss against the Celtics this season.
STARTING FIVE
Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Evan Turner, Amir Johnson, Jared Sullinger
THAT’S MORE LIKE IT
The Celtics allowed the Raptors to open up a huge first-quarter lead in the teams’ last meeting, but Wednesday was a different story.
Taking advantage of Lowry’s absence and some sharp shooting, Boston got off to an impressive start, hitting 10 of its first 18 shots and tallying five team assists. DeRozan kept the Raptors in it with 10 first-quarter points, as the teams were tied 25-25 at the first break.
Thomas was the catalyst behind the Celtics’ strong play, tallying 11 points in the first quarter and continuing to dazzle with some highlight-reel plays.
DEAD HEAT
The Celtics played the Lowry-less Raptors to a stalemate in the second quarter thanks to the efforts of one of their young guns.
Terry Rozier came off the bench to make two key buckets — a 3-pointer and a layup — and also pulled down a couple rebounds to help keep the C’s close.
Closeness was the dominant theme in the first half, as neither team led by more than one possession (three points). Boston went on a 6-0 run late in the second quarter, but Terrence Ross drilled a corner 3-pointer to knot things up at 46-46 by halftime.
THE EVAN TURNER SHOW
Simply put, Turner was the best player on the floor in the third quarter.
The Celtics swingman did it all, racking up 13 of his team’s 23 third-quarter points. He also facilitated with some nifty moves and even drained a rare 3-pointer to give Boston a nine-point lead, its largest of the night.
The C’s outscored Toronto by seven in the quarter as a result of Turner’s efforts. Boston went on a 7-0 run late in the frame punctuated by a massive Jonas Jerebko slam assisted, of course, by Turner.
CLAWING BACK
Turner’s impressive play didn’t get the Celtics completely out of the woods.
Toronto came surging back in the fourth quarter, scoring the first 10 points to pull within one. But that’s when Thomas decided enough was enough, drilling two massive 3-pointers and assisting on a Johnson slam in a span of under two minutes to put Boston back up by seven.
The Raptors wouldn’t get any closer, as the Celtics held Toronto to just seven points after that 10-0 run to hold on for the win.
PLAY OF THE NIGHT
Turner connected with Bradley twice for a pair of nearly identical alley-oops, and Bradley threw this one down with authority in the second quarter:
UP NEXT
The Celtics head west for a five-game, eight-day road trip that includes games matchups with the NBA-leading Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers. They’ll get things started Saturday night in Phoenix against the Suns, with tip-off set for 10 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
