The Boston Celtics defeated the Toronto Raptors 117-94 on Saturday night, led by Jaylen Brown’s 29 points and Jayson Tatum’s 27.
Kristaps Porzingis contributed 21 points and seven rebounds in 28 minutes for the Celtics, who won their second straight after defeating Brooklyn by 14 points in their first NBA In-Season Tournament game on Friday night.
“I feel like we’re really far from being a finished product, a team that this is it,” he remarked. “We’re still a long way from there.” There will be ups and downs. There will be three games where it will seem insane, and three games where it will fall apart and the fans will overreact.”
The Raptors were led by Pascal Siakam, who had 17 points and seven rebounds. Dennis Schroder scored 14 points, while Jakob Poeltl added 12.
Toronto, which had won its previous two games, both on the road, shot just 10 for 37 from 3-point range.
With his team ahead 27 points and 3:27 remaining in the game, Boston coach Joe Mazzulla used a challenge and was successful.
“At the end of the day, my responsibility is to my players first,” he stated when informed of the Raptors’ dissatisfaction. “It was a clear opportunity for me to try to empower the players, let them know I’m coaching you.”
The Raptors had a different opinion.
“That’s disrespectful,” remarked Schroder in the locker room.
When asked if it’s something they’ll remember when the teams play again on Friday in Toronto, he promptly said, “For sure.”
Brown scored 14 points in the third quarter as the Celtics extended their nine-point halftime lead to 24 points. He began his scoring run with a left-corner 3 and ended it with a putback jam from the baseline.
Brown scored 28 points in Friday’s victory. Tatum contributed 23 points.
“Both of them, elite players in this league,” Schroder added. “At the end of the day, we made things simple for them.” We have an opportunity to make it more difficult on Friday.”
After three quarters, Boston led 88-71.
Tatum took over with Brown on the bench at the start of the fourth. He hit three-pointers on consecutive possessions, increasing Boston’s lead to 96-71.
Later, he set up Brown for a crowd-pleasing fast-break jam that made the score 101-73 with less than 8 minutes remaining.
With the Raptors struggling from 3-point range early and often, it was a relatively easy night for Boston’s starters, who were all on the bench for the final minutes.
A night after the tournament game, TD Garden had its typical parquet floor on an NBA-mandated surface with a tournament-themed design.
Boston center Al Horford returned to the lineup after missing Friday’s game due to a right-knee injury. In 24 minutes, he had seven points and seven rebounds.