The Raptors responded after Boston’s win in Toronto with the same measure. Nick Nurse’s side confidently defeated the Celtics at their TD Garden, not allowing the hosts to have a single lead throughout the entire contest. The final result was 113-97 for the champs, and that is considered to be a great surprise, having in mind that they play without three members of the starting lineup.
But for Kyle Lowry, there isn’t such thing as a surprise. Raptors’ guard, pointed out that all his teammates don’t care who plays, and their only goal is to do their job in the best possible way.
“We’ve got pros,” he told the media. “We’ve got guys who don’t care what people say. We’ve got guys that kind of just don’t give a damn and just go out there and work.”
And really it was like that. Each one of the Raptors players was not just playing, but giving all he has. The Celtics didn’t have any answers on how to solve the defense of the guests, which held them to 39.7% from the floor. That percentage was even lower from behind the three-point line, 21.9%. Also, the Celts were outrebounded 60-41, even though Marc Gasol wasn’t on the floor.
All the guys took this very seriously and tried to secure the glass as much as possible. Ibaka was the leading rebounder with 10 boards, Terrence Davis had 7, Patrick McCaw also, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Oshae Brissett 6, etc.
Lowry mentioned Brissett, who played only his seventh match in career, spending 15 minutes on the court. That is equal to the time he played in all of the previous games combined.
“Like tonight, Oshae Brissett, no one knows who the hell he is, and he comes in and steps up.”
Lowry himself delivered 30 points, shooting 10-of-17 from the field, posting 7 assists, and 4 boards. Ibaka had 20 points, while Fred VanVleet and McCaww added 18 apiece. The latter one had 8 assists too, and was one of the best last night, playing 43 minutes.
“Guys just went out and gave it their all,” he said.
With the hosts, Kemba Walker led the way with 30 buckets, but he shot 3-of-11 from behind the arc and had just 2 assists, which is not good when you suppose to organize the game. The Celtics had 18 assists and Toronto 27.
“They definitely remembered that, of course. But those are the defending champs,” Kema reminded everyone.
Jaylen Brown scored 17, Gordon Hayward 13, Jayson Tatum 12. Hayward made just one of his 7 shots from downtown.
Boston is now 22-8 and is still 1st in the Atlantic division. Their next game is in Charlotte, whom they already defeated twice this season. After that, the Celts host the Hawks on Saturday and travel to Chicago on the very next day to meet the Bulls.
As for Toronto, the second-placed in the Atlantic division with 22-10, they play against Oklahoma at the Scotiabank Arena already tonight. The Raptors meet Cleveland Cavaliers on the first day of the New Year, also in Canada, before traveling to Miami.
