What Stood Out in Celtics' Win Over Raptors

From Jayson Tatum finding ways to overcome a poor shooting performance to Scottie Barnes standing out, the good and the bad from the Celtics play in the first half, and how they closed out their win, here's what stood out in Boston's victory over the Raptors.

The Boston Celtics shook off a frustrating loss in San Antonio on Saturday (and an ugly defeat against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday), earning a win north of the border against the Toronto Raptors.

To do so, Boston had to overcome a poor shooting performance, making just 41.5 percent of its field goals and 12/34 (35.3 percent) of its shots from beyond the arc. The Celtics shared the ball and consistently looked to attack Toronto's defense, which translated to 24 assists on 34 made field goals, 34 points in the paint, and 31 free throws, of which Boston made 29.

The Celtics can count on their defense to make life difficult for their opponent. Even after a slow start while they adjusted to how Ime Udoka wants them to play at that end, they have the ninth-best defensive rating in the NBA. On Sunday, they held the Raptors to 97 points on 37.6 percent shooting from the field and 13/42 (31 percent) from three. Their performance on that end kept Toronto quiet throughout the game and bought Boston's offense time until it found a successful formula in the fourth quarter -- more on that later.

Now, without further ado, here's what stood out in the Celtics' 109-97 win over the Raptors.

Sloppy First Half for Celtics Keeps Raptors in the Game

At the end of the first half, the Celtics held a 54-51 advantage; it should have been more. However, for as much as Boston did well in the first half, including an aggressive approach that got them to the free-throw line 20 times, making 19 of those freebies, they shot poorly and didn't do a good job taking care of the basketball.

After two quarters, the Celtics had made only 34.1 percent of their shots, including seven of their 21 threes. They also committed 11 turnovers, which fed into the Raptors scoring 11 points off those errors and 18 fast-break points in total. Though it ultimately didn't stand in the way of Boston getting the win, a cleaner performance would have given the team more breathing room entering the second half.

Scottie Barnes Stands Out

It's hard to believe Scottie Barnes wasn't one of the consensus top-four prospects in this year's NBA Draft. Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, Evan Mobley, and Jalen Suggs earned that distinction, though it's clear the Raptors nailed their decision to take Barnes, who's playing as well as any rookie, with the fourth overall pick.

Barnes finished this game with 21 points, made four of his nine threes, had seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals. He's an impactful two-way wing who plays with a ton of energy and isn't short on confidence. He has the tools to develop into a perennial All-Star.

Jayson Tatum Works Around Off-Shooting Night

Jayson Tatum shot a paltry 2/16 from the floor, and he scored only eight points. However, he didn't let those misses negatively impact the rest of his performance or his ability to remain engaged in the game.

Tatum doled out a game-high ten assists, had seven rebounds, played well defensively, and finished with a plus-minus rating of +13. In the fourth quarter, the Celtics' offense ran through Tatum, and he responded by assisting on five of the team's 11 made field goals, helping them keep the Raptors at bay.

The Celtics entered this game with a -3 point differential in the fourth quarter, which ranked 29th. Their offensive rating was 30th, their defensive rating 25th, and their net rating 30th. Their lack of productivity offensively and their penchant for playing isolation basketball often translates to misses and turnovers. That raises the degree of difficulty for their defense. Understandably, it also negatively affects them mentally.

If Tatum is consistently a more willing distributor, it will go a long way towards the Celtics' offense doing a more effective job in the final frame. It will also make life easier on their defense and help this team become more consistent.

Josh Richardson Sharp in His Return

After missing the Celtics' last three games due to a non-Covid illness, with his team missing Robert Williams and Dennis Schroder, Josh Richardson's return was timely, lengthening a rotation in need.

The veteran wing was sharp in his return, finishing the game with 18 points on six of 11 shooting, he got to the free-throw line five times and converted each attempt, and he had a plus-minus rating of +23, illustrating his overall impact.