NBA Update: Toronto Raptors take down Boston Celtics, 102 – 101
In the presence of 17,707 fans, Boston Celtics fell short of a single point 102 – 101 at Air Canada Centre, Toronto in a match against Raptors. With wonderful 29 points, Andrea Bargnani leads total team effort in a win over the competitor. Raptors win is
a great effort towards ending an eight-game losing streak to the Celtics and winning season-high three straight.
Prominent players
Five players of Raptors scored points in double digits, turned the match in their favour. Beside the top score of Bargnani, Amir Johnson had 17 points and 11 rebounds, Sonny Weems scored 16 points, and Leandro Barbosa had 12 and Jose Calderon 11 at Raptors
end.
Raptor’s Power forward, Reggie Evans scored a season-high nine points and had 16 rebounds.
Nate Robinson led Celtics with 22 points, 2 assists and 4 rebounds. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were been the second highest scorer of the team with 19 points each. 12 points, 2 assists and 8 rebounds were contributed by Glen Davis.
Game Story
Raptors were scoreless from the floor for over six minutes of the game. Later on, by the mid of the first quarter of the play, they re-patched their speed and lead the opponent by 31 – 23 points.
Toronto turned the tables on the visitors in the second quarter. After scoring 23 points in the first quarter and trailing by eight points, the Raptors exploded for 38 points to take a 61-58 point lead into the locker room at the break. For the first time
in the season, the Celtics allowed highest-scoring quarter allowing Raptors to score the 38-points in the second quarter of the game. The Raptors fought back to gain a three-point lead by the half time of the play.
Raptors maintained their hold in the game even in the third half of the game, extending their lead to 7 points.
The final phase of the game was been started with enthusiasm at both team’s end. It was a tie by the mid of the final quarter when Boston re-took the ball and fed it to veteran shooter Ray Allen, who calmly drained a three-pointer to tie the game 94-94.
The raptors incredibly played the final few crucial seconds of the game with full passion and velocity and blew an 11-point fourth-quarter lead with a string of bad offensive possessions.
Turning point of the Game
Raptors started the play with a slow speed. However, with 2:29, remaining the Celtics reeled off a 17-1 run in the fourth quarter to lead by three points. Rather than looking for the three points to tie the game, Raptors caught fire in the last few seconds
of the game. Toronto scored quickly on a layup from Sonny Weems and then a Leandro Barbosa steal ended up with Johnson at the free-throw line. Johnson calmly drained both shots to put the Raptors up one With 2.7 seconds remaining. Paul Pierce was not able
to score for Celtics at the buzzer to end the game.
Man of the match
The real man of the match was Amir Johnson, made two free throws with less than 3 seconds to play.
Quotation of the Game
Amir Johnson was great feeling when he had step up the line with 2.7 seconds remaining, trailing by one, as he said,
"My swag was up definitely at the end...my confidence level -aka swag- was up."
Celtics coach, Doc Rivers was been asked that whether he thought the final foul on Amir Johnson should have been a shooting foul, responded jokingly,
"You answer that. I need my money; I have four kids, all right? I will let you answer that. I didn't see anything." How funny he is!
Up next
Guard Jerryd Bayless and Small forward Peja Stojakovic would be likely be in Raptors’ uniforms in time for the Raptors’ next game on Wednesday, when the Toronto plays the Philadelphia 76ers at the Air Canada Centre.
With a new hope in a new game Celtics will take on Atlanta Hawks on Monday at Philips Arena, Atlanta.
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