The Toronto Raptors get Boston at a time when the matchup might be a little less comfortable for the Celtics than usual. Boston comes in on the second night of a back-to-back, and that gives Toronto a real opening to turn this into a fast, physical game instead of letting the visitors settle into their preferred rhythm.
That matters because the Celtics are built to punish teams from the outside. Boston is hitting 38.4% of its three-pointers while taking 42.2 per game, a combination that can bury an opponent if the defense slips even a little. At that rate, the Celtics are producing nearly 49 points a night from beyond the arc alone, which means Toronto has to treat every perimeter breakdown like a problem that can snowball fast.
For the Raptors, the answer starts with pace. Their best chance is to turn stops into instant offense, especially when defensive rebounds become the launch point for the break. Toronto’s length, speed, and athletic wings can make Boston work from the opening tip, and the Celtics’ legs could become a factor if the Raptors keep pushing after both makes and misses.
The challenge is doing it for all four quarters. Even if Boston absorbs the first wave, making the Celtics sprint back possession after possession can wear on them over time. Toronto can’t let this become a slow, organized half-court game on Boston’s terms.
The other major swing factor is the battle for extra possessions. Toronto needs to create offense through second-chance opportunities and by winning loose balls, especially because Boston’s perimeter scoring can make it hard to keep up in a straight shooting contest.
Crashing the offensive glass can help the Raptors manufacture points, but it also comes with a cost if it leaves them exposed the other way. That balance will matter.
Defensively, Toronto has to be sharp and disciplined. The Raptors can’t afford overhelping, late rotations, or the kind of breakdowns that hand Boston clean looks from deep.
Their pressure can create havoc, but it has to be controlled havoc. The goal is not just to chase the Celtics off the three-point line, but to make those shots tougher and less comfortable.
That’s where ball pressure and disruption come in. Toronto needs to bother the Celtics’ handlers, clog passing lanes, and make every possession feel like work. Players like Jamal Shead and Collin Murray-Boyles, who will hopefully return Wednesday, give the Raptors more options to create turnovers and turn those mistakes into points at the other end.
If Toronto can combine that defensive edge with a strong transition game, it has a path to making this a real fight. The Raptors don’t need perfection, but they do need consistency. Boston’s shooting is dangerous enough to flip the game quickly, so Toronto has to stay locked in, keep the tempo high, and force the Celtics to play under pressure for as long as possible.
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The Mavericks have said they want to keep him, but the rumor mill is already spinning with the kind of interest that tends to follow a player of Irvings profile. Miami has been floated as one possible landing spot, which only adds another layer to a playoff picture that could get more complicated if the market starts moving before Dallas can settle the question. [Read more 🡒]
Paul George Could Make Brad Stevens Look Even Smarter
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Celtics Are Winning Close Games Without Their Best Late Offense
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What stands out is how much room there still is for the late-game offense to grow. Boston has not shot especially well in those moments, but the team keeps stacking wins because its defense has made it hard for opponents to get clean looks, turning close finishes into something the Celtics have been able to manage rather than fear. [Read more 🡒]