Jayson Tatum (0) of the Boston Celtics helps up teammate Neemias Queta in the second half of their game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday.Cole Burston/Getty Images
Jayson Tatum scored 24 points as the Boston Celtics rallied to a 98-93 win over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.
Tatum added eight assists and seven rebounds as Boston (10-2) overcame a 22-point deficit for its fifth-straight win.
Derrick White had 19 points and seven assists for the Celtics.
Ja’Kobe Walter had 17 points, including five three-pointers, as Toronto (5-6) raced out to a nine-point lead in the first quarter.
RJ Barrett of Mississauga, Ont., had 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as the Raptors dipped below .500 for the first time this season.
All-stars Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard were unavailable for Toronto. Barnes missed his third game with a strained left groin and Leonard was not in the building as he recovers from swelling in his left knee.
Takeaways
Celtics: Boston had to overcome a slow start to climb back into the game. The Celtics had 45 rebounds to Toronto’s 42 but got 12 second-chance points to the Raptors’ eight. Tatum had five of his points in the fourth quarter. Boston held Toronto to just 32 second-half points.
Raptors: It quickly became apparent that Toronto’s strategy was to out-Celtic the Celtics. Boston entered the game taking 42.2 three-pointers per game, fifth most in the NBA, making 38.4 per cent of those. Toronto’s 35.2 three-point attempts per game entering play Wednesday night was 24th most in the league with its 31.8 per cent three-point shooting percentage was fourth worst in the league. The Raptors went 16 for 43 (37 per cent) from three-point range against the Celtics.
Key moment
The Raptors reeled off a 16-3 run in the first for a 19-point lead, the Celtics’ largest deficit this season. Boston answered back with a 17-2 run of its own in the second to cut Toronto’s lead to 61-54 at intermission.
Key stat
The Raptors made 10 three-pointers in the first quarter, tying a franchise record.
Up next
Toronto: Visits the Philadelphia 76ers (9-3) on Thursday.
Boston: Hosts the Dallas Mavericks (7-4) on Sunday.
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