John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Raptors: Increased Energy and Better Ball Security the Difference-Makers in Second Half Surge
After committing nine turnovers and getting distracted by their frustrations with the officiating in the first half, the Celtics stayed locked in throughout the third frame.
Boston committed only one giveaway, outscored the Raptors 35-18, and seized control of the game. The visitors had to white knuckle their way to the finish line, but only had one turnover in the fourth quarter, too, continuing to limit Toronto's transition opportunities.
Between that, Jaylen Brown scoring eight of his 22 points in the final 12 minutes, and a clutch tip-in from Blake Griffin, the Celtics closed out their second-straight win, improving on their league-leading record, which now stands at 20-5.
Now, a deep dive into Boston's 116-110 win over the Raptors.
Celtics' Streak of Scoring 60-Plus Points in the First Half Snapped
Every team in the league knows the Raptors struggle to produce points in a half-court setting, but their length and Nick Nurse's defensive schemes translate to constant pressure and attacking passing lanes to fuel their transition offense.
Toronto leads the league in steals, points off turnovers, and fast-break scoring. They also generate the most second-chance points in the NBA, often producing more possessions than their opposition.
The Celtics, who've often struggled to take care of the ball this season, weren't up to the challenge in the first half. Boston committed nine turnovers, including on some careless swing passes, leading to eight points for a Raptors team that scored 16 on fast-break opportunities.
The hosts also produced 20 free throws, capitalizing on 14, compared to the visitors going 6/9 at the foul line.
Not taking care of the ball or getting stops in transition, both especially difficult to do consistently against Toronto, was at the root of why the Celtics scored 56 points, snapping a streak of putting at least 60 on the board in the first half of seven-straight games.
Playing with More Energy and Better Ball Security, Boston Dominates at Both Ends in the Third Frame
The Celtics came out of the locker room with greater focus and more energy than in the first half.
Their only committing one turnover in the third quarter, occurring on their final possession of the frame, best captured that.
Better ball security and offensive activity allowed Boston to play with more pace and sustain its rhythm while minimizing the Raptors' transition opportunities. It translated to a run that ballooned to 23-7. Shortly after that came a stretch where the visitors outscored their hosts 10-0.
Jayson Tatum repeatedly attacked the rim during both bursts and throughout the frame, generating 17 of his 31 points.
Those runs also helped the Celtics outpace Toronto 35-18 in the third quarter, consistently creating high-quality shots, which led to them knocking down 57 percent of their field goals while limiting the opposition to 36 percent, including 0/4 from beyond the arc.
Boston took a 91-80 advantage into the final 12 minutes.
Celtics Stave Off Late Raptors Run
Boston went ahead by 12 with 3:29 remaining when Tatum collected a pass from Marcus Smart and drilled a three from the right corner, his lone triple of the quarter.
But after that, the Celtics had to white knuckle their way to the finish line. It began with Gary Trent Jr. burying a three. Scottie Barnes then produced an old-school three-point play.
After that, Grant Williams opted to put Pascal Siakam at the free-throw line for two foul shots rather than give up a transition opportunity. The move paid off as Siakam went 1/2 from the line. Still, Toronto had narrowed the gap to 113-108 with 1:19 left.
Next, Tatum couldn't convert on a floater with just under 30 seconds on the game clock. But Blake Griffin grabbed one of his three offensive boards and cleaned up the miss. His tip-in gave the Celtics a 115-108 lead with 26.8 seconds to go, a pivotal basket that helped Boston close out its 116-110 victory north of the border.
Tatum generated a game-high 31 points, pairing it with 12 rebounds in the win.
Griffin, starting in place of Al Horford, who's lower back stiffness and the Celtics' championship aspirations kept him out of the second night of this back-to-back, provided an infusion of energy while contributing 13 points and eight rebounds, including his clutch tip-in.
Boston also got a terrific game from Marcus Smart, who returned after missing Sunday's contest in Brooklyn due to a left hip contusion. The Celtics' floor general registered 18 points on 7/14 shooting, including going 4/8 from beyond the arc, dished out seven assists, swiped two steals, and only committed two turnovers.
Jaylen Brown finished with 22 points, and while it came on 22 shots, for the second-straight game, he didn't have a turnover, and he dished out a game-high eight assists. He also grabbed eight rebounds.
Up Next
The Celtics' West Coast road trip first takes them to Phoenix for a matchup against the Suns Wednesday. The game tips off at 10:00 pm EST. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and after. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.
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