Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports
Derrick White Propels Celtics Past Raptors, Preserving Boston's Unblemished Home Record
Based on how the first half unfolded, it appeared like the Boston Celtics, despite missing Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford, were en route to a blowout victory vs. the Toronto Raptors.
Despite being on the second half of a back-to-back, the hosts played with considerable energy in the opening 24 minutes, consistently closed out to contest shots, limiting the visitors to 7/24 (29.2 percent) shooting from beyond the arc, and Jaylen Brown generated 24 points, six rebounds, and four assists.
Repeatedly getting stops fueled Boston's offense, and its ball movement and shot quality benefited from its up-tempo pace.
The Celtics assisted on nine field goals in the first frame. That's as many field goals as the Raptors had in the quarter. The former had an assist on 18/25 makes in the first half. They also drilled 11/20 (55 percent) of their threes.
But in the second half, the hosts got sloppy with the ball, committing ten turnovers. They also cooled off from beyond the arc, faring 1/9 (11.1 percent) in the last 12 minutes, and had trouble getting stops.
After barely playing in the first three quarters, Jalen McDaniels proved a problem, generating 13 points in the final frame. His production off the bench helped Toronto quickly erase a 13-point deficit.
Thankfully for Boston, Derrick White saved the day, making sure Luke Kornet's career performance, stuffing the stat sheet with a season-high 20 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and three blocks, didn't go to waste.
Now for a deep dive into what stood out before, during, and after White scored nine of the Celtics' final 14 points, helping them prevail, 120-118, to improve to 16-0 at TD Garden this season and an NBA best 25-6 overall.
1. With Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford inactive on Friday, the Celtics started Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet while sliding Payton Pritchard up to the sixth-man role.
Kornet, who missed six straight contests due to a left adductor strain and had yet to play in a game since returning to the lineup, didn't miss a beat, including blocking a Jakob Poeltl attempt on the opening possession.
He also impacted a transition miss at the rim, had three points, dished out two assists, and extended a possession, earning a plus-12 plus-minus rating in his first seven minutes on the floor.
2. Like the seven-foot-two center, the hosts came out with considerable energy. They were flying around defensively, consistently contesting shots, limiting the Raptors to 33.3 percent from the field and 2/12 (16.7 percent) from beyond the arc.
Those stops fueled an up-tempo attack that benefitted their ball movement and shot quality. Boston assisted on 9/12 field goals and drilled 7/12 (58.3 percent) of its three-point attempts.
3. Jaylen Brown generated 15 points in his first period back after missing Thursday's 128-122 overtime win against the Detroit Pistons. He converted on 5/6 shots, including all four threes he hoisted, helping the Celtics take a 35-20 lead into the second frame.
4. While the hosts let their guard down late in the second quarter and got outscored 9-0 off turnovers, they mostly adhered to how they built that 15-point advantage and continued playing with considerable energy.
Along with staying hot from beyond the arc, burying 11/20 (55 percent), they held Toronto to 7/24 (29.2 percent) from three-point range.
They also attacked the paint and got to the basket more consistently, producing 18 points from there in the second frame. And by continuing to move the ball decisively and effectively, they assisted on 18/25 field goals.
5. Brown, who tacked on nine points in the second period, paced all participants with 24 at halftime. He also had six rebounds and four assists, leading Boston in the former and tying with Payton Pritchard for a team-high in the latter.
Speaking of the second unit, with the Celtics shorthanded, the boost they got from that group, including a 14-7 scoring advantage over the Raptors' bench, was a crucial ingredient in the hosts leading 68-53 at intermission.
6. The Celtics' energy waned in a sloppy third quarter, where they committed six turnovers that fueled seven points for the visitors.
But while Toronto outscored them 33-31 in the first 12 minutes after halftime, Boston knocking down 5/10 threes, getting eight points from Jrue Holiday, and a ferocious dunk by Brown near the end of the period helped the hosts preserve their double-digit advantage, taking a 99-86 lead into the final frame.
7. With Brown struggling, scoring seven points and committing five turnovers in the second half, Derrick White picked him and the rest of his teammates up in the final period.
The All-Star caliber guard generated nine of the hosts' 19 points in the last 12 minutes. That included swishing a contested three off the dribble as the shot clock expired, getting to the cylinder, and capitalizing on his free-throw attempts.
With the defense having difficulty getting stops, Jalen McDaniels producing 13 points for the Raptors, and Boston's offense cooling from beyond the arc (1/9 in the fourth quarter), White was the driving force that preserved the Celtics' unbeaten streak at home.
Their 120-117 win improves their record at TD Garden to 16-0. They're 25-6 overall.
8. The Celtics now head Southwest for a New Year's Eve showdown against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. That game will tip off at 7:00 p.m. EST.
Further Reading
Jrue Holiday's Assertiveness Elevating Celtics' Offense
Celtics' Offensive Approach Outweighs Three-Point Struggles in Christmas Victory vs. Lakers
Joe Mazzulla Discusses Identity, Evolution of Celtics' Offense: 'Balance of Pace and Execution'
Jayson Tatum Joins PR Team for Derrick White’s All-Star Campaign
Jaylen Brown Shares His View of What Defines 'Celtics Basketball'
An Empowered Jaylen Brown Strives to Balance Scoring with Playmaking: 'I've Grown A Lot'
Joe Mazzulla Believes Celtics' Second Unit is 'Starting to Develop an Identity'
