Celtics see Game 6 ripped from their hands in 125-122 2x OT thriller

The Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors will go at it one more time on Friday after the Raptors forced a Game 7 in double overtime.

The Boston Celtics came into Game 6 of their series with the Toronto Raptors trying very hard not to think about the Eastern Conference Finals, while the Raptors did their best to avoid the thought of packing their bags.

In the first half, things went mostly Toronto’s way, the game close until the midway point of the first half when the Celtics began to heat up and get some separation, Boston finishing the first quarter up 25-21. The Celtics maintained control in the game’s second frame, the lead growing to as much as 12 at the seven-minute mark after a 3-pointer from reserve guard Brad Wanamaker.

Toronto refused to go quietly however, and began chipping away at the Celtics lead little by little, a pair of treys by surprisingly mobile Raptors big man Serge Ibaka cutting the lead to 35-41. The Raptors kept at it, with point guard Kyle Lowry and shooting guard Norman Powell bringing their team to within four, Boston taking a 52-48 lead into the break.

The defending champs didn’t let up at the start of the penultimate frame as big man Marc Gasol opened the action with his first 3-pointer of the series. The Raptors would end up taking their first lead of the game since early in the first quarter off of a trey from reserve guard Fred Van Vleet, putting Toronto up 64-62.

Boston’s Marcus Smart would send Van Vleet to the line on a technical foul soon after, defending him too closely on a closeout and drawing the airspace tech as a result.

This seemed to energize the Raptors, who looked like they might pull away several times, only to see crafty plays from point guard Kemba Walker — getting his first points of the game off a 3 — and swingman Jayson Tatum keep them within two possessions.

An Ibaka layup with just under three minutes in the frame would give Toronto a seven-point lead. 3-pointers from Tatum and forward Grant Williams would cut the lead to to just two with a little more than a minute in the third quarter.

Ibaka padded the lead with a layup to close out the frame, the Raptors taking an 81-77 lead into the game’s fourth quarter. Boston began the final frame with a flurry of misses matched by Toronto until Lowry hit a deep trey with 11 minutes to go in the game.

The Celtics fought back, two 3s from Brown and another from Smart to cut the lead to two. Tatum would hit yet another to put the team up 89-88. Another deep 3 from Lowry stole the lead back, and Toronto could have added to it from the line, but guard OG Anunoby missed both from the line.

Lowry would make up for it with another 3, giving Toronto a five-point lead, but Tatum would cut it to 3 from the line. A Smart and-1 got Boston to within two points, and Theis would tie it up with two left in the game. Boston would hold it for the final possession, but Walker would miss and the Raptors couldn’t answer before time expired, sending the game to overtime.

The extra period began with a very questionable foul by Tatum, but Brown answered back. the two teams traded blows, with the game coming down to free throws for Boston, Brown tying it up at 106 with 18 seconds remaining.

Of course, nobody scored and the game went to double overtime.

The extra extra period started with a Tatum flush, and a costly turnover for Toronto led to a Theis dunk to give Boston a cushion, but the Raptors would tie it up at the line with two to play.

Theis would dunk it again in what felt like Groundhog Day, Siakam tying it up at 112 on the next play, but a Smart trey was the immediate response — as was Toronto’s 3 in response.

A late strip and an and-1 play by Cook gave the Raptors a four-point lead with just under 40 seconds to go, and the Celtics couldn’t find a way to stay alive, the Raps stealing Game 6 125-122.

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