Key Takeaways
- Toronto led Boston 59-37 in the second quarter — a 22-point lead that Sportsnet Stats identified as the largest home lead the Raptors have ever surrendered — and lost 98-93.
- Jayson Tatum scored 24 points with 7 rebounds and 8 assists, and hit the tying and go-ahead free throws with 25.2 seconds left; Boston closed the game on an 8-0 run.
- The loss dropped Toronto to 5-6, below .500 for the first time this season, with Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard both still out.
For a quarter and a half, the Raptors couldn't miss. Then they couldn't score.
The Toronto Raptors tied a franchise record with 10 three-pointers in the first quarter, built a 22-point lead — and still lost, falling 98–93 to the Boston Celtics at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night.
Toronto's lead peaked at 59-37 after a Jamal Shead free throw with 5:24 left in the second quarter. Per Sportsnet Stats, it was the largest home lead the Raptors have ever surrendered. Boston answered immediately with 16 straight points, Jayson Tatum scoring the first 10 of them himself, and the Celtics trailed by only seven at halftime.
Toronto's shooting arc explains the collapse: 10-for-18 from three in the first quarter, then 6-for-25 from deep over the final three quarters.
Tatum closed it at the line
Tatum finished with 24 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists. With Toronto up 93-90 inside the final minute, he assisted a Neemias Queta dunk, then made the tying and go-ahead free throws with 25.2 seconds remaining. Queta added two free throws after rebounding a missed R.J. Barrett layup, Sam Hauser stole the ensuing inbound and made two more — Boston scored the game's final eight points.
Derrick White added 19 for Boston and Queta had 11 points with 13 rebounds. Ja'Kobe Walter led Toronto with 17, rookie Allen Graves scored a career-high 13, and Barrett had 12.
The Twikup Take
Context matters: Toronto was missing Scottie Barnes (third straight game out) and Kawhi Leonard (ninth straight), and still ran the East's best team off the floor for 18 minutes. But 5-6 and below .500 for the first time this season is the standings' version of the story — the Raptors can build a 22-point lead on Boston; they just can't yet survive one.
Image: Illustrative image.