Celtics fossilize Raptors’ offense, win 112-94 to take 1-0 series lead

The Boston Celtics took Game 1 of their second-round series with the Toronto Raptors behind of a balanced effort from their starters.

The Boston Celtics wasted little time attacking the Toronto Raptors in Game 1, winning the tip and getting on the board first with a 3-pointer from Marcus Smart.

Jaylen Brown scored a quick make to put the Celtics up five early, and sloppy play kept Toronto scoreless until a Pascal Siakam and-1 got the defending champs on the board.

Brown kept the pressure on with a trey of his own, and a Daniel Theis 3-point play put Boston up 10-3 with 11-3 with the extra point converted. The Raptors came charging back, cutting the lead to 15-11 with back-to-back 3s from Serge Ibaka.

A 3-pointer from Smart put Boston up 22-11 with 4:30 left in the quarter, and a series that saw Siakam get a third foul, Raptors coach Nick Nurse lose a challenge, get a tech for good measure, only to see Boston capitalize and quickly put Toronto in a 16-point hole, Boston ending the frame up 39-23.

The second quarter started with a 3 from Kyle Lowry, and Ibaka helped slowly cut into the lead with a 7-0 run. A Tatum trey at the eight-minute mark was Boston’s first offence of the quarter.

The defensive showcase continued, but Boston built on their lead with makes from Theis and Brown to put the Celtics up 46-32 with 5:20 in the half. A trey from Semi Ojeleye would put Boston back up 16.

Marc Gasol would answer back on the other end, both teams looking a bit gassed. Boston would go up 17 on a Tatum and-1, with OG Anunoby cutting the lead to 12 from the stripe, only to see the Celtics go on a 5-0 run to close out the half up 59-42.

Boston began the penultimate frame with Gasol and Brown trading buckets early. Another two treys from Kemba Walker and Smart put the Celtics up 22, forcing a Raptors timeout with 9:30 left in the frame.

Toronto continued to struggle from the floor, Boston able to counter any success they had offensively. A Siakam make and a Fred Van Vleet 3 cut the lead to 72-55 with seven to play in the quarter, and a Siakam and-1 cut it further to 17 points.

Tatum came back to put the Celtics back up 22, despite the Raptors’ best efforts. A windmill dunk from Time Lord should have sucked the wind out of the Raptors’ sails, but Ibaka hit a trey in response to slow the bleeding.

The Raptors cut it to 18 with a Lowry trip to the line, and a trey from Anunoby put the lead at 84-69 with a minute left in the frame. Tatum and Norman Powell traded buckets in the quarter’s final seconds, and Boston would go into the fourth quarter up 88-73.

The final frame started with Lowry making a 3-point play while nutmegging Theis, but a 3 from Brad Wanamaker erased the progress made by the Raptors. A trip to the line for the German big man kept the pressure on Toronto, pushing the lead back up to 17.

A Walker trey smothered yet another attempt by the Raptors to make a run, and excellent defense and tired play resulted in nearly two minutes of scoreless play for both teams.

A flagrant away from the ball for Ibaka put Boston up 20 again, and both teams traded baskets while Toronto continued to struggle to cut into the Celtics’ lead. Boston put in their deep reserves with 2:30 to play, the Celtics coming away with a 112-94 win.

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