The Boston Celtics extended their winning streak to six games by defeating the Toronto Raptors 111-101. Jaylen Brown led with 24 points, while Derrick White added 22 points, shooting 6-for-11 from three-point range. Payton Pritchard contributed 20 points, and Jayson Tatum had 19 points and 11 assists. The Celtics improved to 24-6 on the road, despite being without Kristaps Porzingis and other key players. RJ Barrett scored 22 points and Scottie Barnes had 21 for the Raptors, who struggled offensively, finishing 5-for-32 from beyond the arc, their lowest of the season. Toronto’s recent form continued to falter with their seventh loss in nine games.
Payton Pritchard tallied 20 points while Jayson Tatum contributed 19 points and 11 assists, helping the Celtics improve their road record to 24-6.
TORONTO, ON — Jaylen Brown poured in 24 points and Derrick White added 22 as the Boston Celtics pushed their winning streak to six games with a 111-101 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night.
Payton Pritchard tallied 20 points while Jayson Tatum contributed 19 points and 11 assists, helping the Celtics improve their road record to 24-6.
RJ Barrett netted 22 points and Scottie Barnes scored 21, but the Raptors suffered their seventh loss in the last nine games. Gradey Dick added 12 points and Immanuel Quickley had 10.
White went 6 for 11 from beyond the arc, making more 3-pointers than the entire Raptors team combined. Toronto struggled, finishing 5 for 32 from long-range, marking their lowest 3-point shooting total of the season. The Raptors previously made six 3-pointers in a game against Philadelphia on Oct. 25.
While the Raptors shot a perfect 8 for 8 from 3-point range in the fourth quarter of their last game against Phoenix, they began Tuesday’s matchup by missing their first 11 attempts from distance. Ochai Agbaji broke the drought with a 3-pointer at 9:17 left in the second quarter.
Celtics: Kristaps Porzingis was ruled out shortly before the game due to a non-COVID illness. Torrey Craig took Porzingis’s place in the starting lineup, marking his first start with the Celtics. The team also missed Jrue Holiday (rest), Al Horford (left big toe), and Luke Kornet (personal reasons).
Raptors: Toronto ended a 10-game losing streak against Boston in their previous matchup on Jan. 15 but could not capitalize on that victory in the most recent encounter with the Atlantic Division leaders.
Toronto found themselves down by 17 early in the fourth quarter but managed to narrow the gap to seven points, 102-95, with Jamal Shead’s score at 4:18 left. Tatum scored again at 2:42, then made a steal from Dick, leading to White’s sixth 3-pointer that reestablished Boston’s double-digit lead.
Tatum recorded nine assists in the opening half, achieving a career-high for assists in a single half.
Both teams will be on the road again on Wednesday night, with Boston facing off against Detroit and Toronto heading to Indiana. ___
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