Toronto has flipped the series around. The Raptors were a half-second away from trailing Boston by a 3-0 count, but they hit a game-winning shot in game three and picked up another win in game four to level the series. Game five is scheduled for Monday night.
Celtics looking for quick rebound
Boston will need to bounce back mentally from the last two games. The Celtics were about to put what was probably going to be the finishing touches on the series, but now they are tied with the defending champs. They were outscored in the third quarter by eight points and ended up losing by seven points. Forward Jayson Tatum led the team in game three with 24 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 10 of 18 from the field. He hit 1 of 6 from beyond the arc. Shooting guard Jaylen Brown had an awful game, making just 4 of 18 from the field. He went 2 of 11 from the 3-point line and scored 14 points.
Brown missed his first nine attempts from beyond the arc. Point guard Kemba Walker scored 15 points and dished out eight assists, making 1 of 6 from beyond the arc. Marcus Smart and Daniel Theis were each held to eight points. Boston’s 3-point shooting was awful, as it made 7 of 35 from deep. The Celtics had won their first six postseason games before dropping the last two. They shot 44 percent from the floor. Boston averaged 113 points per game during the regular season, but is scoring just 99.3 points per game during the last three.
Raptors seeking continued success
Toronto has rebounded nicely from the first two games of the series. The Raptors were on the brink of trailing 3-0 in the series, but OG Anunoby hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to grab the win. They played well for a full game on Saturday, leveling the series at two games each. Forward Pascal Siakam led the team with 23 points and completed his double-double with 11 rebounds. He struggled from beyond the arc, making just 2 of 13 from deep. Guard Kyle Lowry scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to notch a double-double of his own. He also did not have his best shooting output of the series, making 5 of 16 from the floor.
Forward Serge Ibaka scored 18 points and pulled down seven rebounds. He was extremely efficient from the field, making 7 of 9. Ibaka drained all four of his attempts from downtown. Shooting guard Fred VanVleet scored 17 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out six assists. He made 5 of 11 from beyond the arc. Anunoby was also in double figures, scoring 11 points. Toronto will be hoping for a better offensive output in game five, as it shot just 39.5 percent from the field. The Raptors made 17 of 44 from the 3-point line and hit 15 of 19 from the charity stripe.
Notable Trends
Toronto is:
- 5-0 ATS in its last five games played on a Monday
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