Here’s a recent AP NBA story:
TORONTO (AP) — Jayson Tatum had 19 points and 14 rebounds, Jrue Holiday scored eight of his season-high 22 points in the fourth quarter, and the Boston Celtics won their eighth straight meeting with Toronto, beating the Raptors 105-96 on Monday night.
Derrick White also scored 22 points, Kristaps Porzingis had 15 and Al Horford had 10 points and 11 rebounds as the Celtics completed a second straight four-game season sweep of their Atlantic Division rivals.
White scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, making a key 3 from the corner with just over a minute remaining.
“What he does for our team a lot of times goes unnoticed,” Holiday said of White. “A lot of times, too, it makes a big impact.”
Boston forward Jaylen Brown sat out because of a hyperextended right knee. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said Brown is dealing with soreness but that the injury is not considered serious.
“This year we’ve shown that, regardless of who’s out, there’s an affirmation that everyone is going to step up,” Mazzulla said.
RJ Barrett scored 24 points and Immanuel Quickley had 21 in the Raptors’ fourth straight loss. Pascal Siakam scored 17 points and Scottie Barnes had 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Toronto dropped to 0-10 against Atlantic Division opponents. Boston improved to 6-0 when holding opponents below 100 points.
Due to flu-like symptoms, guard Gary Trent Jr. missed games for the Raptors. In place of injured center Jakob Poeltl, who missed his fourth straight game due to a damaged left ankle, Toronto’s Jontay Porter got his first career start.
Toronto’s 3-point shooting percentage of 4 for 32 was its lowest of the season. In the second half, the team missed all 13 of its attempts from long range.
“I felt like we were getting good looks,” Darko Rajakovic, the coach of Toronto, remarked. “The ball missed the mark.”
In their Oct. 30 home defeat to Portland, the Raptors shot only 4 for 29 from outside the arc.
White had more made three-pointers (5 of 11) than the Toronto team as a whole.
Boston led 61-55 at the half after shooting 10 of 18 from long range in the first half.
The Celtics led 84-75 going into the fourth quarter thanks to nine points and six rebounds from Tatum.
With 6:18 remaining in the third quarter, the Raptors had an 18-2 run to take the lead back, but they went 1 for 10 the remainder of the quarter.
Holiday remarked, “We are aware that anything is possible.” “We are confident that we can recover and endure those blows.”
With two minutes left in the fourth quarter, Barnes scored to tie the game at 100-96, but White responded with his sixth 3-pointer.
Regarding White, Mazzulla remarked, “His aggressiveness and confidence are super important.”
Toronto’s franchise-record run of games with 25 or more assists was extended to 23 when it finished with 25 assists.
Next up
Celtics: On Wednesday night, they will host San Antonio.
Raptors: On Wednesday night, they host Miami.
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