FINAL SCORE: BOSTON CELTICS 118, TORONTO RAPTORS 102
DATE: DECEMBER 25, 2019 ATTENDANCE: 19,800 (Sellout)
FINAL SCORE RECORD HIGH POINTS HIGH REBOUNDS HIGH ASSISTS
Boston 118 21-7 Brown – 30 Kanter – 11 Hayward/Tatum – 6
Toronto 102 21-10 VanVleet – 27 Ibaka – 8 Lowry – 8
KEY RUN After Toronto scored five straight points to open the fourth quarter, Boston responded with a 6-0 run to push the lead back to 20 with 10:13 remaining … The Celtics led by as many as 22 points late in the game.
KEY STAT Boston out rebounded Toronto 45-34, including 13-7 on the offensive glass … Enes Kanter collected a game-high 11 rebounds … The Celtics had a 24-4 advantage in second-chance points.
RAPTORS NOTES: • With the loss, Toronto falls to 21-10 this season and 13-4 at home … The Raptors have dropped consecutive games (Dec. 23-25) after winning five in a row (Dec. 14-22) … Toronto is now 7-6 in the month of December. • The Raptors’ streak of 34 straight victories at home vs. the Atlantic Division during the regular season has ended … Prior to today, Toronto’s last loss at Scotiabank Arena against an Atlantic Division foe was Nov. 10, 2015 vs. New York. • Fred VanVleet led the Raptors with 27 points in 37 minutes – his second straight 20-point outing and 12th of the season … VanVleet is averaging 24.0 points over the last two games (Dec. 23-25). • Chris Boucher recorded a career-high 24 points (7-10 FG, 3-4 3PT, 7-8 FT) and six rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench … Boucher has two 20-point performances in the last three games (Dec. 22-25), averaging 16.0 points during this stretch. • The Raptors had four players score double figures – VanVleet (27), Boucher (24), Kyle Lowry (14) and Serge Ibaka (12) … Lowry added a team-high eight assists in 37 minutes. • Rookie Terence Davis ll is the only Raptor not to miss a game this season.
CELTICS NOTES: • With the win, Boston improves to 21-7 on the season and 9-6 on the road … The Celtics have won four straight games (Dec. 18-25) and are now 8-2 in December. • Prior to today, the home team had won the previous 12 games between the Raptors and Celtics. • All five starters scored in double figures for Boston, combining for 90 points. • The Celtics shot 50 per cent (46-for-92) from the floor and recorded 26 assists … Boston is a perfect 8-0 this season when they shoot at least .500 from the field. • Brad Stevens is now nine-for-15 in coach’s challenges this season. • Jaylen Brown finished with a game-high 30 points (10-13 FG, 5-7 3PT, 5-6 FT), one shy of his season high, and six rebounds in 35 minutes … Brown scored 30+ points for the third time this season. • The Celtics had six players score in double digits – Brown (30), Kemba Walker (22), Gordon Hayward (14), Enes Kanter (12), Daniel Theis (13) and Jayson Tatum (11) … Kanter added 11 rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench for his second double-double of the season.
The view from left field 