The Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors face off for Game 3 on Thursday
The Boston Celtics have yet to lose in the postseason, easily sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round and two games perfect in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the defending champion Toronto Raptors.
Game 2 started off with a hot performance from Robert Williams III, who closed the game with 11 points. Williams was present on the defensive end and extremely active running at the rim for offensive rebounds, a much welcome size addition for the Celtics who have sorely missed that at the five all season long.
Late in the game, Marcus Smart was the hero, rattling off several clutch shots to close the game. Smart hit five 3-pointers in the final frame and closed the game with 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting from beyond the arc.
The Cs had great perimeter defense in Games 1 and 2. So far, the Celtics are forcing the Raptors to shoot just 26.3 percent from beyond the arc in this series, a far cry from their fifth-best 37.4 percent shooting in the regular season this year. On the topic of 3-point shooting, maintaining strong 3-point accuracy is one of the major keys for victory in Game 3.
Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Marcus Smart have been electric all postseason long. A win on Thursday would make it an inconceivable hole for the Raptors to have to dig out of, and place the Celtics one step closer to the Eastern Conference Finals in the Orlando bubble.
Furthermore, a quick win in a series that started earlier than the Miami Heat/Milwaukee Bucks series that could very well go six or seven games would give the Celtics plenty of time to rest, scout, and prepare for the ECF.
Start time and how to watch: How to stream Toronto Raptors vs Boston Celtics Game 3
Game 3 of the Celtics vs Raptors series will be held on Thursday, slated to tip off at 6:30 PM ET. Those with a TV provider can log in on the Watch TNT app to stream the game. FanSided’s stream of commentary and analysis can be found at the video below hosted by Mark Carman and Nick Henkel.
Boot up the game, put it on mute, and watch along with us!
The Cs can get one game closer to the Eastern Conference Finals with a win on Thursday.