Boston has the nominal edge coming into its first “home game” of its series with Toronto. The Celtics smashed the Raptors in Game 1 of the series, racing out to a 39-23 lead at the end of the first quarter and holding onto that lead the rest of the way in a 112-94 victory. This could be a must-win game for Toronto if the Raptors drop Game 2 to the Celtics on Tuesday, as that would put them in a 2-0 hole. Game 3 in this series will take place on Thursday, September 3, at 6:30 p.m., and it will be broadcast on TNT as the first game in a doubleheader.
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Head-To-Head Results to Date
The Raptors have had a difficult time dealing with the Celtics all season. Toronto went 1-3 against Boston in the regular season, and they have lost both games in the bubble to this team by double digits. The Celtics are defending very well, and their perimeter defense has been huge against the Raptors.
Injury Report
Kemba Walker is closer to 100 percent for Boston, and the Celtics don’t have any significant injuries to their rotation players. Tremont Waters is considered day-to-day with a sprained knee and Javonte Green is out, but neither player is expected to have a real impact on this series.
Patrick McCaw and Oshae Brissett both returned to the bubble over the weekend, so they could be available to play on Thursday presuming they test negative during their four-day quarantine. McCaw and Brissett were both seeing outside specialists for knee injuries. Both players played a role in Toronto’s lone victory over Boston earlier this year, so their return could be big for Nick Nurse.
Game Preview
Toronto must shoot better from range than it did in Game 1 if it’s going to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals and defend its title. The Raptors were 10-40 from beyond the arc, and their best three-point shooter ended up being Serge Ibaka. The starters combined to shoot 16 percent from downtown, as Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam both had a very difficult time finding their touch.
Siakam is the key to so much for Toronto, so the pressure is on him in particular. He stepped into the hole that Kawhi Leonard left when he departed this offseason, as he is the best two-way player on the team. However, Siakam was not great in the sweep of Brooklyn in the first round, and he failed to make an impact in Game 1 against the Celtics with 13 points, three rebounds, and two assists.
Jayson Tatum is one of the best defenders in the league. He has excelled on the offensive end since he entered the league, and he has really stepped things up on the other side of the ball this year. We saw Tatum shoot 50 percent from the floor while nearly recording a double-double against Toronto in Game 1, and he is the most important player for Boston in this series.
Boston knocked down 43.6 percent of its threes on Sunday as the guards in particular were fantastic. Marcus Smart and Kemba Walker both knocked down more than 50 percent of their chances from range, and Walker had an even bigger impact with 10 assists.
X-Factor
Kyle Lowry must play better for Toronto to beat Boston in this series. Lowry slayed his playoff demons during the Raptors’ run last year, but he was shaky in Game 1 with five fouls and five turnovers. A sprained ankle suffered in Game 4 against Brooklyn may have bothered him, so a day off could see him a little closer to 100 percent.
Prediction
This is going to be a tough series for Toronto. Boston matches up very well against them, and Brad Stevens is on the same level as Nurse in terms of coaches.
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