Post by Admin on Apr 5, 2023 10:39:26 GMT -5
Celtics Game Tonight: Celtics vs Raptors
by Andrew Hughes
The Boston Celtics battle a red-hot Raptors squad on April 5 at the TD Garden with a chance to clinch the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference following a loss to the 76ers in Philadelphia last night. Toronto has clinched an NBA Play-in game themselves after sweeping the Hornets in Charlotte their last two games.
Boston fought until the very last second against the Sixers on April 4 without Jaylen Brown, getting 26 points from Derrick White in his absence. Their record against Milwaukee and Philadelphia dropped to 5-2, but the Cs showed that even as underdogs, there will be fight.
Toronto, meanwhile, has won five of its last six games, even without top-three Raptors scorer in 2022-23, Gary Trent Jr., since March 19. They’ll take on the Celtics in two of both teams’ final three games.
Matchup
Toronto Raptors
40-39
40-39
Boston Celtics
54-25
Toronto Raptors: 10th (ORtg), 11th (DRtg), 25th (Pace), 11th (NRtg)
Boston Celtics: 2nd (ORtg), 4th (DRtg), 17th (Pace), 1st (NRtg)
54-25
Toronto Raptors: 10th (ORtg), 11th (DRtg), 25th (Pace), 11th (NRtg)
Boston Celtics: 2nd (ORtg), 4th (DRtg), 17th (Pace), 1st (NRtg)
Boston Celtics Projected Starting Lineup
PG – Marcus Smart, SG – Derrick White, SF – Jaylen Brown, PF – Jayson Tatum, C –Al Horford
PG – Marcus Smart, SG – Derrick White, SF – Jaylen Brown, PF – Jayson Tatum, C –
Toronto Raptors Projected Starting Lineup
PG – Fred VanVleet, SG – Scottie Barnes, SF – OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, C – Jakob Poeltl
PG – Fred VanVleet, SG – Scottie Barnes, SF – OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, C – Jakob Poeltl
Boston Celtics vs Toronto Raptors Injury Report
Celtics SG Jaylen Brown (lower back pain) – Questionable
Celtics PG Payton Pritchard (heel) – Questionable
Celtics C Robert Williams III (hamstring) – Questionable
Raptors SG Gary Trent Jr. (back) – Questionable
Celtics SG Jaylen Brown (lower back pain) – Questionable
Celtics PG Payton Pritchard (heel) – Questionable
Celtics C Robert Williams III (hamstring) – Questionable
Raptors SG Gary Trent Jr. (back) – Questionable
Boston Celtics vs Toronto Raptors Prediction
As a slight underdog against Philadelphia, the Celtics were able to fight to the finish line — coming up short due to an MVP caliber performance from Joel Embiid on the road. Against the Raptors as a favorite on their home floor, Boston can clinch homecourt until the conference finals.
The Houdini believes in these Cs to get it done. Lay those points.
Celtics 131 Raptors 125
As a slight underdog against Philadelphia, the Celtics were able to fight to the finish line — coming up short due to an MVP caliber performance from Joel Embiid on the road. Against the Raptors as a favorite on their home floor, Boston can clinch homecourt until the conference finals.
The Houdini believes in these Cs to get it done. Lay those points.
Celtics 131 Raptors 125
This just in:
Al played last night and doesn't do B2B's so the writer above should have known this - I assume Blake will start unless they give Rob a rare start rather than monitoring his minutes off the bench. I've replaced Al with Blake for the time being ...