10 Takeaways from Celtics late victory over scrappy Raptors

By the primary three quarters of this sport the Celtics regarded like they have been caught in mud when it got here to their offense. After having some large first halves in again to again video games, Boston solely had 80 factors going into the fourth quarter, maintaining Toronto within the sport.

The Celtics would flip the swap within the closing body, outscoring the Raptors 35-24. Boston shot a ridiculous 14-21 (67%) from the sphere and solely 2-4 (50%) from three level vary whereas solely turning the ball over as soon as. Toronto shot 10-14 (71%) within the fourth quarter however Boston was in a position to pressure 6 turnovers on them, explaining the rationale why the Celtics had 7 extra pictures.

The lineup they ran for a lot of the fourth quarter with Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Neemias Queta seems to be the closing group of the longer term going into the playoffs. This seems to be a potent finish of sport lineup that may house the ground and nonetheless defend. Excited to see this when the video games actually begin to rely.

2. Neemias Queta is Peaking

Relating to his play this season, I believe Neemias Queta has exceeded all exceptions set for him and is simply now beginning to play his finest basketball of the season proper because the Celtics are heading into the playoffs. Queta had an important efficiency towards the Raptors, ending with 18 factors, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and three blocks on 9-10 capturing.

His offense was carrying Boston for lengthy stretches within the first half, dropping 16 factors by means of the primary two quarters and being the spark the offense wanted when it stalled out. Queta did an unbelievable job when it got here to slicing to the basket whether or not it was slipping out of screens or simply operating the operating the quick break. His means to overpower the Raptors weak middle depth additionally helped when it got here to grabbing offensive rebounds for put-backs.

The second half noticed Queta flip into 2022 Robert Williams together with his means to dam pictures, with all 3 coming within the second half. His enchancment on the defensive finish together with his timing on blocking pictures has been unbelievable to observe this season and actually does remind me a variety of Time Lord. He at all times had this means however now that he has had the chance to shine, Queta is turning into a extra harmful participant to this Celtics offense than anybody would have thought doable.

3. Jayson Tatum is Seeing All the things

For the ninth time in 14 video games, Jayson Tatum has completed with a double-double scoring 23 factors, 13 rebounds, 7 assists and three steals. I don’t assume I’ve ever seen a participant go down with a serious damage and are available again enjoying arguably higher than they have been earlier than however Tatum is beginning to attain that time for me. I needed to spotlight his means to see the ground together with his passing as a result of he made some unbelievable assists that controversial solely he may have made doable.

Tatum had 3 assists within the first half however 2 of them spotlight his mastery of passing out of the double staff. When Toronto tried to strain him, Tatum used his gravity to go it to a large open teammate who was in a position to end with a simple basket.

When the fourth quarter got here round, Tatum was a driving pressure as to why Boston was so profitable with 4 assists. It’s wonderful to see the Raptors memorized with what Tatum goes to do with the ball in his fingers that they fully disregard their defensive assignments to cease him. This leaves Tatum to only make some unbelievable passes to vast open teammates like this one to Pritchard.

4. One other Nice Jaylen Brown Sport

Whereas some folks on the market have been worrying about how Jaylen Brown was going to look when Jayson Tatum returned, it was fairly apparent that these considerations have been extremely overblown. Brown completed with one other environment friendly scoring sport towards the Raptors with 26 factors, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and a couple of steals on 11-20 capturing. Brown is at the moment ranked first within the Jap Convention in 20+ level video games this season with 62 and second within the NBA solely behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who has 66.

Brown was in a position to get to the basket with ease on this sport ranging from the opening tip, making an effort to be aggressive. Ten out of his eleven baskets on this sport ended within the painted space which doesn’t even sound actual however Toronto simply had no person who may guard him inside, completed off with an emphatic dunk for the exclamation level. His one three pointer that he made regarded just like his shot within the nook towards the Pacers in Sport 1 of the 2024 Jap Convention Finals. Just like the Bucks sport on Friday, Jaylen Brown made this sport look simple and put up one other MVP degree efficiency.

5. Payton Pritchard 4Q Explosion

Going into the fourth quarter of this sport, Payton Pritchard solely had 6 factors on 3-5 capturing which wasn’t dangerous however Boston wanted a spark to ignite the offense and he did simply that. Pritchard had 11 factors, 2 assists, and a couple of steals on 4-7 capturing within the closing quarter of play and was the most important purpose why the Celtics have been in a position to draw back from Toronto on this sport.

Pritchard did an important job of being aggressive and in search of his shot, profiting from a Raptors staff who was actually combating above their weight class and tiring out. He was in a position to exploit their lack of paint protection by driving to the basket and ending over Toronto’s massive males. On protection he was additionally issue, grabbing his first steal to proceed a 16-4 run the Celtics had courting again to the two:04 mark of the third quarter and getting his second one to primarily ice the sport earlier than the Raptors put of their reserves.

6. Jordan Walsh Massive 3Q Minutes

I believe an underrated stretch on this sport have been the 6 third quarter minutes that Jordan Walsh obtained the place his protection made a official affect. He had 4 factors and 1 steal on 2-2 capturing on this quarter and it exhibits that Joe Mazzulla is beginning to depend on him as the principle vitality supplier off the bench.

Walsh was in a position to nab a steal on Brandon Ingram and outrun the Raptors protection for a dunk on his first basket and made a extremely a very nice reverse layup on his different. It’s actually fascinating to see Mazzulla entrust Walsh with this position because it was interchangeable for a lot of the season with Hugo Gonzalez and Ron Harper Jr additionally seeing time. Walsh has been stable since return to the lineup and it’s cool to see him run with the chance. I’m excited to see him inevitably make an enormous play in a playoff sport this yr.

For the primary time since Might sixth, Nikola Vucevic returned to the Celtics rotation after struggling a fracted proper ring finger. You possibly can inform he was nonetheless attempting to get again after lacking a month of time however he had okay sport, ending with 4 factors, 4 rebounds, and 1 help on 2-5 capturing however was a -14 total in 13 minutes.

I’d say the very best half about this sport was his two man sport with Payton Pritchard in the beginning of the fourth quarter. He was in a position to filter house when Pritchard was attacking to the basket and it resulted in a basket and an help on this timeframe.

I believe we’re going to must be affected person with Vucevic’s return. It took him a number of video games to get going when he was first traded to the Celtics so as soon as the playoffs come round I’ve religion that he’ll be capable to mesh nicely along with the remainder of the staff. If not, Neemias Queta has been enjoying out of his thoughts lately so he may at all times get extra minutes or they’ll see if Luka Garza can present a spark from the again up middle place. General although I believe Vucevic shall be effective and can supplied a lot wanted bench scoring within the playoffs.

8. Historic Paint Scoring

For those who’ve seen all through the takeaways up to now, I’ve highlighted the Celtics means to get to the paint with relative ease towards the Raptors protection. That’s as a result of Boston completed with a ridiculous 76 Factors within the Paint in comparison with Toronto’s 58. This was essentially the most factors within the paint that the Celtics have scored in a sport within the play-by-play period which is an unbelievable feat.

The Celtics are a staff recognized for his or her three level capturing, averaging 41.8 threes a sport however on this sport they have been solely 8-28 (29%) capturing from past the arc. Within the painted space, Boston shot 38-57 (67%), simply getting no matter they needed at any time when they needed towards Toronto.

9. Defensive Enhancements

Over the past two video games, though Boston was blowing out their opponents, in addition they allowed back-to-back video games with the opposite groups making 20+ three level pictures. I didn’t file it away as a priority however it was simply one thing that was very unusual. All of my doable considerations have been put to mattress with this sport towards the Raptors the place the Celtics protection held them to solely 8-20 (40%) capturing from three and 40-84 (48%) capturing from the sphere.

The one purpose why Toronto caught round so lengthy on this sport was the truth that Boston wasn’t in a position to hit their threes to match. Though Boston had just a little little bit of an issue turning the ball over themselves with 15, they responded by forcing Toronto into 15 turnovers as nicely. The Celtics turned them into 26 factors off turnovers and that was most related within the fourth quarter when Boston compelled the Raptors into 6 turnovers.

10. Attainable First Spherical Matchup

With the common season shortly coming to an finish, this sport had some fascinating implications for each the Celtics and the Raptors. With the Celtics win to push their document to 53-25, their Magic Quantity to clinch the 2nd seed within the Jap Convention has been lowered to 2. Which means that Boston wants both 2 extra wins or the New York Knicks to lose 2 extra video games to official have house court docket benefit on their aspect of the playoff bracket.

The Raptors then again wanted to win this sport to presumably keep away from enjoying the Celtics as part of the Play-In Match. Toronto is at the moment the seventh seed within the Jap Convention however have the identical 43-35 document because the Philadelphia 76ers who’re on the sixth seed. If Toronto did find yourself within the Play-In and beat the eighth seed who’s at the moment the Charlotte Hornets, they’d face Boston in Spherical 1 of the Playoffs.

Considering of a Toronto vs Boston matchup within the first spherical makes me assume it can finish equally to the way in which this sport performed out. The Raptors would put up struggle towards the Celtics for the primary three quarters of video games however run out of gasoline ultimately. At finest I believe Toronto may find yourself ending just like the Orlando Magic final season towards Boston, shedding in at most 5 video games or get flat out swept.