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Tim BontempsESPN
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The Boston Celtics may have played their best game of the 2019-20 season, beating the Toronto Raptors 122-100 in a result that was even more run than the final score would indicate.
But in the end, Celtics coach Brad Stevens did not intend to take any victory matches, not with a potential rematch with Toronto struggling in the semifinals of the Eastern Conference in a few weeks.
“This game will mean nothing if we get this chance again,” Stevens said. “They’re a really good team. And I thought they missed a lot of open expressions and just wasn’t their night.
“I thought our boys were playing well though. But it will mean nothing in a few weeks.”
It might not. But Boston’s victory means the Celtics have won the season 3-1 against their Atlantic Division rivals, putting a marker on what would be a truly fascinating series between these two teams if they succeed in the Eastern Conference. playoffs.
Toronto will not want any of these games remotely resembling this one, because the Raptors – who had won their previous four games in the NBA bubble at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex – from the start until dismissed by the Celtics end. Boston dominated the game right from the start, but after Toronto closed out early in the third, the Celtics outscored the Raptors 36-12 the rest of the quarter to go up to three quarters 91-57, making the Toronto coach Nick Nurse was able to pull off his starters and wave the white flag.
“It was difficult to score,” said Nurse of his team, who shot 43% from the field and 26% from the 3-point range. “That’s one of those nights where it did not appear to me. I think we had 19 3s in the first half and I try to think of which I would not want us to take. There could be someone we had to throw up or something, a shot-clock deal.The rest of the people were pretty good and I think it hurt us that we did none of it.It discouraged us a little bit.
“We play good defense early, similar to the other night, but we just could not get any offense to attack us. Give them credit, they move, they were active, but you have to come in and make some of those shots if you have a good one. team want to defeat. “
Toronto had introduced this game that dominated defensive teams, but the Celtics were able to get the entire game for free, shooting 49% from the field and hitting 16 3-pointers to make more than enough separation to cross to a victory. Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 20 points and was superbly protective of Toronto star Pascal Siakam (11 points on 5-for-15 shots) at the other end.
“I think Pascal had a lot of really good chances, do you know what I mean?” Nurse said. “It was not that he did not get his chances and he had some wide open appearance, and even had some good discs that I thought he was patient with and composed and got good shots. Some nights they just do not go in there. And then for the rest no one else was to pick up the snail. “
As a result, the Celtics cruised to the most impressive victory within the bubble to date – although, again, fortunately Stevens would admit that.
“Well, on Wednesday morning I did not think we were very good,” Stevens said, referring to the loss of Boston the night before to a Miami Heat team that Jimmy Butler did not have. “So I’m not sure I’ve just changed with the sleep of two nights. We’ve played a little better the last two games, but we have a long way to go to where we want to be.”
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