Celtics Dominate Raptors with Strategic Lineup in Playoff Preview
The Celtics beat the Raptors 115-101 on Sunday. The win arrived as Boston returned to full health for the first time this season.
Vucevic returns from injury
Nikola Vucevic rejoined the lineup after missing about a month. He suffered a broken right ring finger and was acquired in February from the Bulls.
Midway through the third quarter he caught an alley-oop from Jaylen Brown. Vucevic missed the initial layup, grabbed the rebound and finished the possession with a putback.
He played 13 minutes and had 4 points and 4 rebounds. The Celtics were outscored by 14 points while he was on the floor.
Queta’s breakout near the rim
Neemias Queta dominated the paint. He made 9 of 10 shots and finished with 18 points and seven rebounds.
Queta’s putbacks helped stabilize Boston in the first half. He also hit an 8-foot jump hook late in the second quarter.
In the fourth, his dunk capped a 15-4 run that sealed the outcome. Jaylen Brown praised Queta’s development and suggested he is a frontrunner for Most Improved Player consideration.
Key scorers and team numbers
Jaylen Brown led Boston with 26 points. Jayson Tatum added 23 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.
Fifteen of Brown and Tatum’s 18 field goals were two-pointers. The Celtics shot just 8 of 28 from three but scored 76 points in the paint.
Boston committed 18 turnovers yet won comfortably. Payton Pritchard sparked the fourth quarter with a three, a pass to Vucevic, and two layups to push the lead.
Raptors response
Toronto made a late push. Back-to-back baskets from Brandon Ingram cut the deficit to 98-91 before Boston closed the game.
Standings and outlook
The victory improved the Celtics to 53-25. Boston stretched its cushion over the third-place Knicks to three games with four regular-season contests left.
The teams meet in New York on Thursday. With the postseason approaching, this matchup served as a useful playoff preview for both clubs.
The Celtics’ strategic lineup approach emphasized interior scoring. That plan paid off despite cold shooting from distance.
Report for Filmogaz.com.
