The Boston Celtics put six players in double figures and led from start to finish in an impressive 112-94 win over the Toronto Raptors in game one of a second round NBA playoff series at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida Sunday afternoon.
Boston came out red hot scoring the first five points of the game, and not allowing Toronto on the board until almost three minutes in. The Celtics had a big first quarter point wise and stretched the advantage to 19 twice, once on a Jayson Tatum jumper and again on a Brad Wanamaker three-pointer and it was 39-23 after one. One of the Raptors top players, Pascal Siakam also had three fouls in the opening 12 minutes. Toronto would score the first seven points of the second to get within nine, but the first half was mostly all Boston. The Celtics pushed the lead to 17 again twice, once on a Tatum three point play and then Kemba Walker knocked down a three-pointer at the buzzer to make it 59-42 at the break. The green hit nine three-pointers in the first half and shot 47% from the floor, as compared to 29% shooting for Toronto.
The third quarter was more the same as Boston hit five more three-pointers and built their lead to their biggest at that point at 22. Toronto made a late run near the end of the period and did cut it to 13, but the Celts led 88-73 headed for the fourth. The Raptors never got closer than 12 the rest of the way, as Boston would eventually build it to their largest of the day at 24 on a Marcus Smart three-pointer from the corner with 4:54 left to play.
Tatum and Smart both had 21 points to lead the way in the Celtics win, with Tatum adding nine rebounds and Smart finishing with six rebounds and four assists. Walker had 18 points and 10 assists, Jaylen Brown 17 points and five rebounds, Daniel Theis 13 points and 15 rebounds, and Robert Williams III added 10 points and five rebounds. Kyle Lowry led the Raptors in the loss with 17 points, six rebounds, and eight assists. Fred VanVleet who was averaging more than 20 points per game in the playoffs (21.3) was held to 11 points on 3-16 shooting (2-11 on three-pointers). Boston ended up 17-39 (43.6%) behind the three point arc, while Toronto was only 10-40 (25%) and only shot 37% from the floor in the game. The defending champions have only lost two games now at the bubble, both to the Celtics. Game two is Tuesday with a time to be announced.
