BOSTON — Josh Richardson went airborne during the first quarter of Wednesday’s game between the Boston Celtics and Raptors, and it earned him a highlight-reel block against Toronto’s Svi Mykhailiuk.
Richardson, who checked in off the bench, was playing with the energy head coach Ime Udoka was hoping to see during the contest between Eastern Conference rivals.
And the best depiction of that was when the 6-foot-5 wing tracked down Mykhailiuk and sent his attempt at the rim hard off the backboard as Marcus Smart played defense, as well.
Check it out:
It was one of Boston’s handful of high-energy plays from the opening period. Robert Williams started off the quarter with a tip slam at the rim while Al Horford ended the frame with a perfectly-played double team to force a turnover.
Boston took an eight-point lead after the first quarter because of plays like those.
