Boston Celtics Recap: Cs demolish Raptors in Atlantic Division clash

The Boston Celtics extended their winning streak to two games with their second blowout victory in a row, this time at the expense of the Toronto Raptors.

The Boston Celtics annihilated the defending champion Toronto Raptors in their fifth game in the bubble, winning by a score of 122-100. They were ahead by as many as 40 points in the fourth quarter, as the Raptors never held the lead.

Boston handed Canada’s own their first loss in the bubble, as now the Phoenix Suns are the only undefeated team in Orlando.

Toronto struggled to score in the first half, finding themselves with only 37 points after the first two quarters. However, in the third, the lead was extended dramatically, as the Celtics won the quarter 39-20. They had a 36-12 run in a nine-minute stretch, converting on 15 of 22 shots in the period overall.

Jaylen Brown led the offense for the Boston Celtics on Friday night, finishing with 20 points on seven for fourteen shooting from the field and four of eight from distance.

Despite being a primary defender on Toronto star Pascal Siakam, he still had energy on the offensive end, hitting multiple corner threes to continue rallies and extend the lead for Boston. Siakam only ended with 11 points on five of fifteen shooting from the field, less than half of his average of 23.3 during the regular season.

Brown also had the highlight of the game, skipping a half-court strike to Gordon Hayward in transition. Brown’s slowly improving passing ability is the next step in his progression to becoming a superstar in this league.

Jayson Tatum had another game to encourage fans, scoring 18 points in 28 minutes on 50 percent shooting from the field. He also racked up seven rebounds, for assists, and two steals, finishing with a plus/minus of +34, a team best.

When both Tatum and Brown are clicking, it’s hard for opposing defenses to guard both of them, as not many teams are equipped with two elite wing defenders.

In this game, the Celtics used penetration and ball movement to set up outside shots, highlighted by the team’s 27 assists.

Kemba Walker continues to ramp up in the final regular-season games, playing in 23 minutes and scoring 17 points. He had his minutes restriction extended to 30 for this game, a little below his average (31.3) on the year. This a good sign for Boston, for if everyone’s healthy for this upcoming playoff run, nobody will want to face them.

Daniel Theis had another double-double for the Cs, finishing with 11 points and 11 boards on the night. He hit two corner threes in a row, as he emphasized the long shot against difficult teams such as Toronto and Milwaukee after the game.

As both of those teams like to clog the paint, it’s very important for everyone on the floor to be able to make the three without hesitation. This year, Theis has shown he can do that.

Robert Williams had another great game, coming off his breakout performance against Brooklyn. He scored 10 in only 11 minutes, grabbed for rebounds, and was a presence defensively. He has the tools to be a stellar modern-day NBA center on the defensive side, as he can switch easily and protect the rim.

However, he has a tendency to make mistakes that drive coach Brad Stevens insane. If he can increase his basketball IQ and begin to understand his place within the defense, he should get a permanent rotation spot.

Stevens gave a preview of the potential playoff rotation, playing only eight guys in meaningful minutes: Tatum, Brown, Kemba, Hayward, Theis, Marcus Smart, Brad Wanamaker, and the aforementioned Williams. It’s certainly possible that Enes Kanter could be used in some matchups, but against most modern NBA teams he has trouble finding his place on the court.

While he has his way on the offensive glass, he gets crushed on defense, specifically in the pick and roll. It’s also possible for someone like Semi Ojeleye or Grant Williams to crack the rotation come playoff time, but right now, those eight players have earned Stevens’ trust in the bubble.

This was the Boston Celtics’ best defensive game in Orlando, limiting the Raptors to 57 points through three quarters. Overall, they shot 42 percent from the field and 26 percent from beyond the arc.

In comparison, the Celtics shot 49 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from distance (16/46). Fred VanVleet led Toronto with 13 points, while all-star Kyle Lowry finished with 11.

In this potential second-round matchup, Toronto on paper should match-up decently well against our Boston Celtics, as they have defensive flexibility against star wings. In this game, they did not perform well enough on the offensive end to keep up with the Celtics’ firepower, leading to a bubble blowout.

It’s a good day to be a Celtics fan!