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The Eastern Conference drama comes as the Boston Celtics take on the Toronto Raptors tonight. After winning Game 1 of the second round of the playoffs, the Celtics will be in high spirits. Despite being the highest seed, the Raptors were previously outclassed. Before Game 1, the Raptors seemed like the favorites to come out of the East. But now the Celtics pose a serious threat.
Heading into Game 2, they have no major injuries. They will not have young Oshae Brissett and Patrick McCaw. So the Raptors will return with an unchanged lineup of Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet as guards, OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam as forwards and Marc Gasol as center.
From today @Invisalign initial alignment. #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/WsVm6fgVTz
– Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) August 21, 2020
Will the Boston Celtics get a second unexpected win?
The Celtics comfortably beat the Raptors in Game 1 after an excellent night of shooting from 3-point range. They shot 43% as a team and also made 17/21 from the charity strip. But the most surprising thing was that the Celtics outbounded the Raptors. Averaging 51 rebounds per game against the Nets, the Raptors only had 40 in Game 1, while allowing the Celtics to get 50 rebounds.
Like the Raptors, the Celtics don’t face major injuries. Only Tremont Waters is on the injury report and is listed as a playing time decision. So the Celtics will have a lineup of Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart as guards, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum as forwards and Daniel Theis as center.
– Boston Celtics (@celtics) August 30, 2020
The Raptors’ poor shooting was one of the main reasons they lost last time out. They shot only 25% from beyond the arc. They were shooting more than 40% against the Nets and they will have to get back to that form to have a chance. As a team that prides itself on defense, the Raptors will have to improve in Game 2.
The Celtics may have the momentum, but the Raptors are expected to come back with a win. They have a deeper roster and they don’t rely on just three players for their offense. It was a rare bad game for them and they will definitely come back stronger to level the series. Nick Nurse’s men have looked like defending champions all season and they won’t retire so easily.
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