The Boston Celtics defeated the Toronto Raptors Saturday evening, grabbing an emphatic 117-94 win at home. Boston’s offense overpowered Toronto, especially in the second half. The Raptors put up a noble effort to open the game, but by the final buzzer, they were firmly extinct.
Boston’s stars led the way in this one. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis combining for 77 points on 31-for-52 shooting from the field. In fact, Tatum was a +42 on the evening, underscoring just how dominant the Celtics core was once they found their rhythm in the second half. Despite a few hiccups in the early goings, Boston was able to cruise to a loud victory against a division rival, grabbing a second win in as many nights for the Celtics. Boston now moves to 7-2 on the year, continuing to roll in the early goings of the 2023-24 regular season campaign.
Let’s take a deeper look at a strong performance from the Celtics and check out Boston’s 117-94 win over Toronto.
Boston vs. Toronto: Celtics fossilize Raptors 117-94 https://t.co/pSJ8QbJKnU pic.twitter.com/0gl5zimnUC
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) November 12, 2023
Boston's offense
Toronto came into Boston with one of the higher defensive ratings in the NBA, thanks in large part to athleticism, length, and physicality. As Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla pointed out pregame, the Raptors are last in the league in defensive switches. At times, this gave Boston trouble, and the Celtics had 7 first-half turnovers, leading to 12 points for Toronto.
Later, Boston was able to make better reads and exploit this dynamic. The Celtics outscored the Raptors 31-17 to open the third quarter, with Kristaps Porzingis serving as the pivot point for the offense. Toronto struggled to contain Porzingis at the rim, especially when guarding the pick-and-roll. In trying to compensate, the rest of the guys in green were often left wide open for a 3-pointer or a cut to the basket.
Boston’s offensive proved too much, and Toronto had few answers for containing such a dynamic scoring effort. The Celtics may have taken time to find the right gear, but once they did, it was off to the races.
Celtics' Luke Kornet unsure about the origin of his 'Green Kornet' nickname https://t.co/02cRnySPOr pic.twitter.com/EUGtw4TIpx
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) November 11, 2023
Boston's defense
The Celtics once again did a nice job on the glass, a consistent theme so far this season. Boston grabbed 46 rebounds on the evening, and this emphasis on locking down the painted area also generated 4 blocks for the home team.
Things weren’t much easier for the Raptors further from the rim. As a team, Toronto shot 10-for-37 on 3-pointers. Boston’s length and athleticism, especially in the backcourt, prevented the Raptors from getting many open looks from distance.
Boston didn’t have much luck shooting the ball from deep, going 15-for-44 from beyond the arc. But paired with a sturdy defensive performance, it was more than enough to vanquish the Raptors.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on fixing the All-Star Game https://t.co/pthAneqfC1 pic.twitter.com/5zdRPKTEI4
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) November 11, 2023
Final thoughts
This was Boston’s first back-to-back of the season. Friday night, the Celtics defeated the visiting Brooklyn Nets. This wasn’t a concern, with Boston winning both games by a combined 37 points.
So far, the Celtics have taken care of business against lesser opponents. That’s an important sign of maturity and focus for a team with title aspirations. Boston is still without a signature win on the year, however.
With tonight’s result, the Celtics move to 7-2 on the season. Boston is back in action Monday night at home against the New York Knicks.
Franz Wagner on wanting to see ex-Celtics center Daniel Theis see playing time in the NBA https://t.co/IXyvnqDzmJ via @thecelticswire pic.twitter.com/4DCf1jGrLy
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) November 9, 2023
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