Celtics avenge loss by beating the Toronto Raptors
The Boston Celtics cruised past the Toronto Raptors 110-101 on Friday night, as they avenged last week's defeat .
The result meant Boston had their third consecutive win, after suffering back-to-back losses for the first time this season. The second of those defeats came at the hands of the Raptors 102-101 on Sunday. For the Raptors, the defeat ended a four-game winning
streak.
Inactive Players
Solomon Alabi and Ed Davis were among the inactive players for the Raptors, whereas Jermaine O’Neal, Kendrick Perkins and Delonte West were inactive for the Celtics.
Team Stats
Player Stats
Kevin Garnett scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Shaquille O’Neal scored 16 points and added nine boards.
Quotable I
Boston coach Doc Rivers was full of praise for Kevin Garnett, "Kevin's energy tonight was off the charts. You knew it would be if you know Kevin after the loss last Sunday. He was just athletic tonight. He's been that way all year."
The Celtics Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis scored 18 points, ten of which came in the final quarter of the game. Paul Pierce had 18 points too, while Ray Allen scored 17. Rajon Rondo had 14 assists on his return from a hamstring injury, after missing three games.
Cheers roared across the arena as Rondo emerged after finally making it into the game -- and they sure had missed him.
Linas Kleiza scored 18 points for the Toronto Raptors. While Reggie Evans, who plays forward for the Raptors, broke his right foot in the third quarter and was immediately moved to the bench.
Box Score
The Celtics were in control throughout the game and had a 21-point lead going in the final quarter, but the Raptors closed them down to 99-93, as Kleiza made a basket with five minutes left to play.
Davis then came forward and hit a shot for the Celtics, as Garnett tipped in the rebound which pushed the Celtics back up by nine points, when there were four and a half minutes left.
Pierce's three-pointer then put the Celtics up by 105-95 with three minutes left to play, and they weren't threatened after that.
At half time the Celtics were in the lead 58-52, but were able to extend their lead in the third quarter with some brilliant play.
Remarkable
Boston scored assists on every basket, except for one of the 22-baskets they scored in the first half of the game.
Rondo had eight assists in the opening quarter of the game on his return from injury.
Conclusion
Quotable II
After the game Raptors forward Peja Stojakovic said, "We put ourselves in a bad position throughout the game. It was a big differential, especially against a team like Boston who is really experienced and knows how to execute down the stretch. It was
too big of a lead for us to come back."
Coming Up: For the Raptors, Sunday vs. Atlanta, Wednesday vs. Washington, Friday vs. Oklahoma City. For the Celtics, Tuesday @ Cleveland, Wednesday vs. Portland, Friday vs. Chicago.
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