John Tavares loves playing with Mitch Marner on his wing, but if Sheldon Keefe sees fit to keep Marner with Auston Matthews, the Maple Leafs captain is cool with that. “He’s trying to do what’s best for the team and get us to play the best we can,” Tavares said of his coach. “We all […]
Maple Leafs captain Tavares lines up behind coach with plenty of confidence — Toronto Sun
There were a lot of things for the Raptors not to like about Wednesday’s 118-102 loss against Boston, but Chris Boucher’s strong play wasn’t one of them. A couple of games after setting a new high with 21 points, Boucher went off for 24, added six rebounds and blocked a couple of shots. With the […]
Boucher shines on Christmas in Raptors loss — Toronto Sun
(21-7) BOSTON CELTICS, 118 VS. (21-10) TORONTO RAPTORS, 102 SCOTIABANK ARENA WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2019
TORONTO RAPTORS QUOTES
NICK NURSE (HEAD COACH)
On being the first time the team was off at both ends of the floor … Yeah, we weren’t quite physical enough I thought, for most stretches of the game. I thought they got a lot of stuff right at the rim, they had five second chance layups early, a couple of post ups where they just turned right to the rim and laid it in. So we weren’t doing a good job, we did a little better job on some of that stuff later, then they started making a bunch of threes. We were little out of it, it was an out of rhythm game for us, that’s for sure.
On the afternoon game and cumulative effect of the last few games being a factor … There’s has been really tough stretches in all these last games, as you know. Big swings in play and the scoring is not very easy for us right now, it’s tough. We just had some rotten luck too. We dribbled it off our foot a couple of times, we dropped a couple that we were going in for lay ups. You can’t kind of self-inflict some of that stuff either. You have got to value the ball a little bit better. 17 turnovers for 20 points, I don’t know how many second chance points they ended up with – 24 – that’s going to spell trouble those two numbers above 20 in the same game. It’s unfortunate we just didn’t play very well today.
On Kemba Walker shaking loose for those threes … We were kind of in our coverage there, we were just hoping we could get back and at least rearview challenge him on those. After he made the two we switched matchups, switched coverages and cleaned that up a little bit. He is going to score some, he is going take some shots and we thought we did a pretty good job for the most part and then he shook free for those back to back ones in the second half.
On needing Patrick McCaw to be more aggressive on offence … Yeah, I’d like him to bring the ball more when he gets the rebounds. I think his speed up the floor could get us in transition, then he can get into the paint when we are running Kyle (Lowry) and Fred (VanVleet) down the wings or something, so get our shooting on the outside a little bit. Just, I think those guys all need to be aggressive, Pat, Terence (Davis), Chris (Boucher) is aggressive by nature, Rondae (Hollis-Jefferson) is pretty aggressive as well, but those guys you now, they have to come in and take the opportunities that are there sometimes.
CHRIS BOUCHER (24 points, six rebounds)
On getting down big in games lately… Obviously it’s not good. It’s never good when you are too down and you have to find a way to get back. We have to find a way to get started, be able to get a lead or something like that because it’s gets hard to come back from 15 or 20. We did it once, but that’s not something we want to do every day.
On playing against teams with size… They hit a lot of tough shots, too. I feel like we had a run and they called a foul and that kind of got us messed up. They’ve got vets and they got a lot of offensive rebounds at the beginning and that kind of got us in a hole. Coach made a point about that, we have to find a way to box out and sandwich guys. If I have to think about something we have to get better at, that’s what it is.
KYLE LOWRY (14 points, eight assists)
On getting down big in recent games… We’ve done it the last couple of games and that’s a well-coached team, a hard-playing team. Jaylen Brown and Kemba (Walker), those guys played extremely well and made a lot of shots, so trying to get back was a little bit tougher tonight than before.
What needs to be done differently early in games to avoid getting down big? Just continue to play harder, get better shots. When teams go on a run we have to make sure we get a bucket, get a stop, get a score, get back out on transition. We are at our best when we get out on transition, get stops, but tonight they were scoring so much and second chance points. At one point they had 13 more shots than us and that’s what they’ve done to us the two games we’ve played, they’ve had more shots at the rim and second chance points.
BOSTON CELTICS QUOTES
BRAD STEVENS (HEAD COACH)
Was the defence tonight as important as the offence? Until the end, gave up a bunch of layups that were uncontested at the end. They are a hard team to guard. Those guards put a lot of pressure on you and then (Chris) Boucher was great today, with both rolls and pops. But I thought our guys competed on that end of the court for the most part. Obviously everybody is acutely aware of the comeback the other day in here, so when we up whatever and they started to cut it back, a couple of those threes were huge to kind of stem the tide.
Was there anything to say when you were down 10-0? That’s part of it sometimes, they hit us early but I thought we recovered well and made enough plays there, we got it back to I think 10-9 before they scored again. Then it was back to a back-and-forth for a while, so that’s not an ideal start but they go on runs. They are a team that can go on runs in a heartbeat.
On having Gordon Hayward out there… I think what it allows you to do is it allows you to keep two of those guys on the court at one time. When we subbed out Gordon and Kemba (Walker), you are able to keep Jaylen (Brown) and Jason (Tatum) on the court or vice versa, whatever, some combination of that. That will only get better when (Marcus) Smart gets back. I thought a lot of our other guys played good roles next to them. I thought Romeo (Langford) was really solid again, I thought (Enes) Kanter obviously came in and gave us a great deal on the low post, especially in the first half.
JAYSON TATUM (11 points, nine rebounds, six assists)
What does it mean to you to play on Christmas and get another win? It’s a big deal to play on Christmas and coming up here and getting a win on the road. That’s a really good team – a tough place to play.
Was it an off shooting night for you? You’ve got to find other ways to impact the game, but we came out with a win. That’s the most important.
On advice to Kemba Walker before the Christmas day game… No. I mean, he’s been in this league longer than me. It was a big deal for him, and he was great.
JAYLEN BROWN (30 points, six rebounds and four assists)
What got you going in the third quarter? Just being aggressive. I think just trying to get involved. I didn’t take a lot of shots so I was just trying to be as efficient as possible.
On his game… Just trying to be efficient. I think that was the goal, just trying to be aggressive. I’m trying to make every shot and not wasting any motion. I think it was good to get a win here on Christmas. I’ve never won here period. It was great to get one.
On the Raptors… It’s a well-coached team with some hungry, good players that play well together. We knew at any given moment they could turn it on so we had to weather the storm and continue to play good basketball.
Did you sense your hot streak in the third quarter coming? Yeah, I was feeling good. Was just trying to play within the game, not a lot of play calls, just scoring within the game. It kind of led to making baskets and being efficient. However it goes out there, just trying to take advantage of every opportunity that you get.
How many tricks do you have left in your bag after today? A whole lot, a whole lot. For me it’s just continuing to understand and see the game, make the right reads, make the right play. As I gain more trust within the organization, the coaching staff I can take it to another level.
Why are the Celtics so difficult to guard? The key is to let the game dictate. I think we are all capable of doing multiple things, we’re all interchangeable, so I think that’s what makes us hard to guard. It’s not necessarily dictated to one position or one spot, we can all interchange in terms of coming off of the ball, screens or someone cutting or someone in the corner, I think that’s what makes us dangerous. As we get better, I think that the rhythm and the flow as we continue to be in multiple spots makes it harder to guard different guys in different spots.
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.
PLAYA VISTA — On the eve of Round 2 in the Battle for L.A., there was still sorting out happening about both teams got here, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis on one side in Lakers’ purple and gold and Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the other side, sporting Clippers’ logos. On Monday, the…
Clippers, Kawhi Leonard downplay report of improper requests — Daily News
INJURY REPORTS AT 5:30 P.M. TUESDAY
12:00 (ET) BOS@TOR
Boston Celtics Fall, Tacko Out G League – Two-Way Hayward, Gordon Probable Injury/Illness – Left Foot; Soreness Poirier, Vincent Out Injury/Illness – Right Pinkie; Fracture Smart, Marcus Out Injury/Illness – Left Eye; Infection Williams III, Robert Out Injury/Illness – Left Hip; Bone Edema.
Toronto Raptors Gasol, Marc Out Injury/Illness – Left Hamstring; Strain Hernandez, Dewan Out Injury/Illness – Right Ankle; Sprain Ponds, Shamorie Out G League – Two-Way Powell, Norman Out Injury/Illness – Left Shoulder; Subluxation Siakam, Pascal Out Injury/Illness – Groin; Strain Thomas, Matt Out Injury/Illness – Left Finger; Middle; fracture – distal phalanx.
RAPTORS NOTES
• The Toronto Raptors host the Boston Celtics at Scotiabank Arena in the first Christmas Day game held outside of the United States. The Raptors are one of five teams that have never hosted a Christmas game joining Charlotte, New Orleans, Minnesota and Memphis. Wednesday’s game is the second of four meetings between the Raptors and Celtics with the next coming Dec. 28 at TD Garden.
• Wednesday marks the second time Toronto has been selected to play on Christmas Day with the lone appearance coming in 2001 at New York. It’s the second-longest active streak between Christmas appearances among teams that have played at least one game. Atlanta has not played a Christmas game since 1989. Charlotte and Memphis are the only team that have never played on Christmas.
• Since 2013-14 when Toronto began a run of six straight playoff appearances, two conference finals appearances and an NBA Championship, a total of 18 different teams have appeared on Christmas Day. Among the 18 teams only Golden State, San Antonio and Houston have posted a better record than Toronto during this stretch.
• Serge Ibaka and Patrick McCaw are the only players on Toronto’s roster that have played a Christmas game. Ibaka has appeared in six consecutive Christmas games (all with Oklahoma City) between 2010-15. His best performance came in 2013 at New York when he scored 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field. McCaw played for Golden State in a pair of Christmas games in 2016 and 2017. Toronto is tied with Denver for the fewest players with Christmas Day experience among the 10 teams playing.
• Kyle Lowry will make his Christmas debut after 13 seasons in the NBA. Lowry and Denver’s Paul Millsap (also 13 seasons) are the two longest-serving players in the NBA playing their first Christmas game. He has scored 20+ points in a season-high five straight games (Dec. 16-23), including a team-high 30 points Dec. 23 at Indiana. Over the past five games, Lowry is averaging 25.6 points while shooting .455 (40-for-88) from the field, .422 (19-for-45) from 3-point range and .784 (29-for-37) at the free throw line. The last time Lowry scored 30-or-more points in back-to-back games was part of a career-best four-game streak Jan. 27 – Feb. 1, 2017.
• Rondae Hollis-Jefferson scored a season-high 18 points (6-13 FG, 6-5 FT) Dec. 22 vs. Dallas. It was the ninth time this season Hollis-Jefferson has contributed 10+ points as a reserve. Toronto is 8-1 during these games. He ranks third in Raptors bench scoring during the month of December averaging 7.8 points.
• Fred VanVleet has posted a career-high five double-doubles this season. The latest came Dec. 23 at Indiana when he recorded 21 points and 11 assists. In three games since returning from a right knee contusion he is averaging 16.3 points and 6.7 assists.
• December is Toronto’s busiest month of the season with 16 games and includes three back-to-back sets. The Raptors’ 11 games at Scotiabank Arena tie the franchise record for most home games in a calendar month – Toronto also played 11 games at home in March 2016.
PROBABLE STARTERS
F – PATRICK McCAW #22 • Contributed five points (2-5 FG, 1-2 3FG) and two rebounds Dec. 23 at Indiana. • Made first start of the season Dec. 20 vs. Washington and scored a season-high 11 points in 34 minutes. • Missed 17 games (Nov. 6 – Dec. 9) earlier this year following arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.
MIN: 23.0 REB: 1.9 AST: 1.3 STL: 1.2 TO: 1.2 BLK: 0.0 PTS: 4.7
F – OG ANUNOBY #3 • Recorded his third double-double of the year Dec. 23 at Indiana with 15 points and 12 rebounds. • Toronto is 14-3 this season when Anunoby scores 10 or more points (Last: 15 – Dec. 23 at Indiana). • Shooting .500 (28-for-53) from the field over the last five games (Dec. 16-23).
MIN: 30.4 REB: 6.0 AST: 1.7 STL: 1.2 TO: 1.2 BLK: 0.8 PTS: 11.5
C – SERGE IBAKA #9 • Tallied 23 points (11-21 FG), nine rebounds and one block Dec. 23 vs. Dallas at Indiana • Started three games this season (Dec. 20-23) – Led the reserves in scoring a team-high 13 times. • Has scored 20+ points in three of his last four games, averaging 19.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks.
MIN: 24.1 REB: 7.5 AST: 1.3 STL: 0.5 TO: 1.9 BLK: 1.1 PTS: 13.7
G – KYLE LOWRY #7 • Scored 30 points in back-to-back games for the third time in his career Dec. 23 at Indiana. • Ranks third in franchise history with 112 double-doubles – recorded four this season (last: Dec. 22 vs. Dallas). • Averaging 19.9 points and 8.4 assists in 11 games (Dec. 3-23) since returning from a left thumb injury.
MIN: 38.1 REB: 5.2 AST: 7.6 STL: 1.2 TO: 3.0 BLK: 0.3 PTS: 20.7
G – FRED VANVLEET #23 • Tallied 21 points and matched his season-high with 11 assists Dec. 23 at Indiana. • Returned to the lineup Dec. 20 vs. Washington after missing five games and recorded career-high nine rebounds. • Toronto is 8-3 this season when VanVleet scores 20 or more points (Last: 21 – Dec. 23 at Indiana).
MIN: 36.3 REB: 3.9 AST: 7.0 STL: 1.9 TO: 2.4 BLK: 0.2 PTS: 17.8
INJURY REPORT Marc Gasol (Left hamstring; strain) – Out Dewan Hernandez (Right ankle; sprain) – Out Norman Powell (Left shoulder; subluxation ) – Out Pascal Siakam (Groin; stretch) – Out Matt Thomas (Left middle finger; distal phalanx fracture) – Out
LAST TIME VS. BOSTON GAME 2 – OCTOBER 25, 2019
BOSTON 112, TORONTO 106
BOSTON — Jaylen Brown had 25 points, including a key 3-pointer in the closing minutes, to help the Boston Celtics hold off the Toronto Raptors 112-106 on Friday night. Jayson Tatum finished with 25 points and nine rebounds. Kemba Walker had 22 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter. The Celtics shot only 38%, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. They had 109 attempts in the game. Pascal Siakam scored 33 points to lead the Raptors, who went 18 of 36 from the 3-point line. Kyle Lowry finished with 29 points, including six 3-pointers.There were 12 ties and 19 lead changes, with neither team holding more than a seven-point lead.Boston found its shot in the fourth quarter, outscoring Toronto 36-24.The Celtics took a 101 -100 lead on a Grant Williams layup off an assist by Walker.Later, the Celtics were leading 107-106 when Brown hit a 3-pointer with 2:49 to play. Walker struggled from the field for the second straight game, missing his first five field-goal attempts. Coming off a 34-point game in Toronto’s season-opening win over New Orleans on Tuesday, Siakam also started slow. He missed his first four shots and was scoreless in the first period before he got a finger roll to fall just before halftime.
Position: Forward Height: 6-10 Weight: 200 College: Oregon Birthday: 1/11/1993 NBA EXP: 2
2019-20 SEASON: • Recorded career highs with 21 points (6-12 FG, 9-12 FT) and four blocks Dec. 22 vs. Dallas; added seven rebounds and two steals in 24 minutes. • Totaled 13 points, a season-high 12 rebounds and a career-best four assists in 25 minutes Nov. 27 vs. New York. • Posted consecutive double-doubles (Nov. 18-20). • Finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds Nov. 20 vs. Orlando. • Recorded 11 points and 11 rebounds, including a career-high seven offensive rebounds, Nov. 18 vs. Charlotte. • Matched then career bests with 15 points (7-11 FG, 1-4 3PT) and three blocks in 24 minutes Nov. 10 at LA Lakers; added two rebounds and a career-high two steals. • DNP three times.
LAST FIVE GAMES
Date Opp. MIN FG-A 3FG-A FT-A REB AST ST BS PTS
Dec. 16 CLE 12:53 2-3 1-1 2-2 5 1 0 0 7
Dec. 18 @DET 06:12 0-2 0-1 2-2 1 0 0 0 2
Dec. 20 WAS 12:48 1-4 0-1 2-2 5 0 0 0 4
Dec. 22 DAL 24:06 6-12 0-1 9-12 7 0 2 4 21
Dec. 23 @IND 13:51 1-3 0-1 3-4 6 0 0 2 5
Position: Guard Height: 6-4 Weight: 205 College: Mississippi Birthday: 5/16/1997 NBA EXP: R
2019-20 SEASON: • Scored in double digits in four-of-five games (Nov. 18-27); averaged 13.4 points. • Scored 15 points and led the team in assists for the first time with five in 29 minutes Nov. 27 vs. New York. • Set career highs with 19 points (7-10 FG, 3-5 3PT, 2-2 FT) and eight rebounds in 27 minutes Nov. 20 vs. Orlando. • Recorded 16 points and a career-best seven assists Nov. 18 vs. Charlotte; scored all 16 points in the fourth quarter. • Totaled five points (2-6 FG, 1-3 3PT) and five rebounds in 15 minutes in NBA debut Oct. 22 vs. New Orleans.
LAST FIVE GAMES
Date Opp. MIN FG-A 3FG-A FT-A REB AST ST BS PTS
Dec. 16 CLE 18:40 2-4 1-2 2-2 2 3 0 0 7
Dec. 18 @DET 12:15 2-4 0-1 0-0 0 3 0 0 4
Dec. 20 WAS 17:46 3-4 2-3 0-0 3 1 0 0 8
Dec. 22 DAL 22:37 2-4 2-3 3-3 5 2 1 0 9
Dec. 23 @IND 19:55 3-9 2-7 0-0 3 2 0 0 8
Position: Forward Height: 6-7 Weight: 217 College: Arizona Birthday: 1/3/1995 NBA EXP: 4
2019-20 SEASON: • Set season bests with six assists and three blocks Dec. 23 at Indiana. • Scored a season-high 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds Dec. 22 vs. Dallas. • Tied a then season high with 16 points and had 10 rebounds Nov. 25 vs. Philadelphia. • Finished with 15 points and eight rebounds Nov. 18 vs. Charlotte. • Posted first double-double as a Raptor with 16 points and a season-high 11 rebounds in 26 minutes Nov. 13 at Portland. • DNP (left groin soreness) Nov. 8 at New Orleans. • Played four minutes in Raptors debut Oct. 26 at Chicago. • Inactive for the first two games of the season (Oct. 22-25) with left groin soreness. • Inactive three times. DNP five times.
LAST FIVE GAMES
Date Opp. MIN FG-A 3FG-A FT-A REB AST ST BS PTS
Dec. 16 CLE DNP – CD Dec. 18
@DET 13:28 2-4 0-0 1-2 3 1 3 0 5
Dec. 20 WAS 19:05 4-8 1-2 5-6 2 4 0 0 14
Dec. 22 DAL 28:33 6-13 0-0 6-6 9 2 1 0 18
Dec. 23 @IND 37:34 2-3 0-0 4-6 9 6 0 3 8
CELTICS PROBABLE STARTERS
POS No. PLAYER HT WT G GS PPG RPG APG FG% MPG
F 37 Semi Ojeleye 6’6 241 27 4 2.7 2.1 0.4 40.6 15.6
2019-20 NOTABLES: – Scored a season-high 11 points at Sacramento on Nov. 17 behind a career-high-tying three three-pointers – Pulled down a career-high seven rebounds against Miami on Dec. 4 – Swiped a career-high four steals against Cleveland on Dec. 9
F 0 Jayson Tatum 6’8 208 27 27 21.6 7.1 2.8 42.0 34.1 C
2019-20 NOTABLES: – Recorded 21 points and 10 boards in the season opener against Philadelphia on Oct. 23 – Recorded his third double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds against Cleveland on Dec. 9 – Recorded 30 points, six rebounds and a career-high seven assists against New York on Dec. 1 – Hit the game-winner against New York on Nov. 1 – Recorded a career-high 39 points to go along with a season-high 12 rebounds against Charlotte on Dec. 22.
27 Daniel Theis 6’8 245 24 23 6.9 6.3 1.3 51.9 21.6
2019-20 NOTABLES: – Handed out a career-high six assists to go along with a career-high three steals against the LA Clippers on Nov. 20 while also pulling down a career-high seven offensive rebounds – Recorded a season-high 16 points against Philadelphia on Dec. 12 – Set a new career-high with five blocks against Cleveland on Nov. 5
G 7 Jaylen Brown 6’6 220 24 24 19.8 7.0 2.4 50.4 33.6
2019-20 NOTABLES: – Recorded a season-high 31 points on 10-of-20 shooting and 5-of-9 from three against Miami on Dec. 4 – Recorded his third 20/10 game of the season with 22 points and 10 rebounds against Brooklyn on Nov. 27 – Recorded his first 30-point game of the season with 30 points and seven rebounds against San Antonio on Nov. 9
G 8 Kemba Walker 6’0 184 26 26 22.6 4.1 5.4 42.8 32.2
2019-20 NOTABLES: – Made his Celtic debut against Philadelphia on Oct. 23 and recorded 12 points, two rebounds and two assists in 34:15 – Recorded three straight games of 30-plus points from Oct. 26 through Nov. 1 – Recorded 39 points against Brooklyn on Nov. 27 – Netted a season-high 44 points against Indiana on Dec. 11 – Handed out a season-high 11 assists against Detroit on Dec. 20
CELTICS RATTLE OFF 10 STRAIGHT, TIE NBA RECORD TO OPEN SEASON… The Celtics notched their 10th straight win with a 105-100 come from behind victory over the Warriors on Nov. 15…This was their tenth straight win after they had lost the opening night game of the season…According to STATS, the Celtics are just the second team in NBA history to record 10 straight wins after losing their season opener joining the 1979-80 Milwaukee Bucks.
BIG NIGHT FOR HAYWARD IN CLEVELAND… Gordon Hayward tied his career-high with 39 points to go along with seven boards and eight assists against Cleveland on Nov. 5…According to the Elias Sports Bureau Hayward was the first player in the NBA this season to score 20 or more points during a single half on 100% shooting (22P, 9-9 FG in first half)…On the night Hayward finished a perfect 16-for-16 on all of his two point attempts which tied Wilt Chamberlain’s mark for most two-point field goal makes in a game without a miss.
WALKER RECORDED 30+ POINTS, 6+ REBOUNDS AND 4+ ASSISTS IN THREE STRAIGHT… Kemba Walker recorded 33 points, six rebounds and five assists in the close victory over the Knicks on Nov. 1…It marked the third consecutive game that Walker recorded 30 or more points, six or more rebounds and four or more assists…In doing so against the Knicks he became the first Celtic to record those numbers in three straight games since Paul Pierce accomplished the feat in three straight games during the 2002 season (Nov. 22-27).
TATUM RECORDS 20 PTS, 10 REBS IN OPENER… Jayson Tatum recorded 21 points and a team-high 10 rebounds against Philadelphia in the opening game of the 2019-20 season on Oct. 23…It marked just the 30th time in franchise history that a Celtic had recorded at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in the opening game of the season and the first since Brandon Bass recorded 20 points and 11 rebounds against New York on Dec. 25, 2011.
Gordon Hayward apparently still is feeling the effects of the gruesome leg injury he suffered 26 months ago. The Boston Celtics forward has missed the last three games with a sore left foot — the same foot that was pointing in the wrong direction that infamous October night in Cleveland. And while Hayward is probable…
Gordon Hayward Believes New Foot Issue Related To Original Leg Injury — NESN.com
Marcus Smart is nearing a return, but he still is battling a seriously nasty eye infection. Smart will not play Christmas Day against the Toronto Raptors, the Celtics announced Tuesday afternoon. The fiery guard has missed Boston’s last six games primarily due to the eye infection, but other ailments also have contributed to keeping Smart…
Celtics’ Marcus Smart Out Vs. Raptors; Tremont Waters Summoned From G League — NESN.com
Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter says he will be able to play in his team’s Christmas Day game in Toronto against the Raptors after discussionsRead More. …
Celtics’ Kanter thanks Trudeau for chance to play in Canada — Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News
HEAD COACH SHELDON KEEFE
Opening Remarks:
Well, everything went exactly as planned so there’s not a lot to talk about.
On today’s game:
Just lots of emotions in the game, obviously. From our start, you’re feeling great. Then it gets away on you and you start to come back in the third and you give it up again. Lots of emotions, but obviously, we really like how our team stays with it and finds a way and everybody goes home happy.
On if the result makes up for some of the mistakes made:
Yeah, it does. We need wins and we need points. Because of the way things go there — you give up the lead and the nature of some of the goals, you don’t feel great about them — but we can’t forget about the good things that we did. We scored seven plus an empty netter. We had a terrific start against a very good team that we knew was going to come — in fact, getting a lead like that probably was not the greatest thing for us in terms of our mindset playing against a team that is so hard to play against. I think it’s part of our growth here in trying to figure things out. That’s partially the reason why I didn’t call a timeout in that second period. I just thought this is a good time for our team to sort themselves out here and see if we can. Whether we did or not, I don’t really know in that second period, but we found a way. Our best players made big time plays.
On how he felt during the three consecutive goals in the third period:
I do a pretty good job of keeping things inside. I’ve been through a lot of these types of games and a lot of different things as a coach at various levels. I try not to get too caught up in it, but it was pretty fun to watch how quickly things changed and how our team responded to that.
On where he evaluates the Matthews and Marner pairing on a line:
I would say we’re still kind of in the experiment stage. In fact, we talked about it after the second period whether we should switch back and decided not to, obviously. It worked out. How it works out long term — it’s not necessarily just how that goes, but how things underneath them go. We’ll have a look at all of that.
On why he stuck with it through two periods:
We just felt that there’s potential there. Something could spark itself and get going. We also looked at the fact that — we just thought there were mistakes made at key times that ended up in our net that weren’t necessarily a sign that the lines weren’t working. I thought there were a number of good things happening through the game, we just had to get rid of the egregious mistake and how we were going to solve them in the neutral zone. I thought that we’d have a chance.
On if he thinks there’s a future for Matthews and Marner as a pairing long-term:
It makes sense to me in a lot of ways in terms of the way one sees the ice and passes and the way one finishes. But we also have a good line — Mitch and [Hyman] were very successful with John there as well. We have to weigh that and, again, it has a lot to do with how things fall into place underneath them as well. We’ll have to look at that. I think if I’ve shown anything in the early going here it’s that I’m not going to stick with anything for too long.
On the Next Gen Game:
I thought the game was outstanding. I think the whole concept behind it is outstanding. I think if we didn’t make a next generation of fans here today, I’m not sure we ever will with everything that was at play. I thought it was great, the kids on the bench were cool, the interviews before the game, it’s awesome and it’s nice to be a part of that.
On what he has seen from the group to this point and what needs to be worked on:
What we’ve seen is that we have good players and we have good depth and we have the ability to set ourselves up to win games. What we have to work at is just dealing with playing with that lead. Playing with the lead is a big thing for us and what you saw today is just – we want to be a team that controls the puck and controls the play. At times you’re going to face teams or situations where you need to change your decision-making, you need to go quicker, you need to get things through the neutral zone fast. Feeling our way through that. I had a sense that at some point it was going to go bad for us and when it goes bad and you’re trying to play like that, it looks bad like it did today. But we still see lots of positives in there that will help us along the way. The other thing I talked to our team about in the third period is just that we haven’t played from behind very much here in quite a while. We were just talking about kind of enjoy that, enjoy playing from behind, have fun with that, let’s see what we can do here. That’s part of the growth as well.
On the decision to start Spezza in the opening lineup:
To be honest, the biggest thing was I had a sense here frankly that with the next generation game and it being a two o’clock start that he would have his girls in the building so a chance to give him a little moment there and it worked out for us.
On the status of Trevor Moore:
Yeah, he reported not feeling well, much like he did the other day. We thought everything was good, but he just did not feel like himself, so we pulled him out for today. We’ll give him some time over the break to see how that progresses.
On what he liked about the Spezza-Tavares combination in the third period:
I just thought that we’re trying to restart ourselves in the third period and kind of get going so I just went back to that same start but then we’re playing from behind and I like Jason’s ability to play up in the lineup and make a play at an important time. Obviously, he’s got a lot of experience and I think those are the types of things that can help us. Because of his ability I don’t hesitate to give him an opportunity to start the game.
FREDERIK ANDERSEN (35 SAVES)
On what was needed to keep battling after the second period:
Of course, just a short memory, I think, is the most important thing. Obviously, a bit of an emotional roller coaster today. We stuck with it then, like I said, we come out really good in the third even though they regained their two-goal lead. We just said, ‘Screw it, we’ll play the last 10 and give it our all.’ The guys were unbelievable.
On if it was the craziest game he has been a part of:
Probably, yeah. I don’t really have anything that could top that off the top of my head but definitely a wild one.
On what makes Marner so effective:
He’s smooth, he skates like the wind and then I think he sees the ice as good as anyone in the League. You combine that with the good hands and he’s just a playmaker out there. He can create free space for himself and the guys he plays with are good to help him out as well. He finds open space really well and, you saw today, he’s a special player.
MITCH MARNER (2 GOALS, 3 ASSISTS)
On if he believes in Toronto Raptor karma following their historic comeback victory yesterday:
I actually didn’t think of that but that comeback from them was amazing yesterday. It was the same kind of afternoon game. I think both teams have confidence in their players and their ability to do what they can. I think both teams stuck to the system and believed they could get it done and they both did.
On Auston’s backhand pass in the third period:
That’s a hell of a play by him, a hell of a pass. I kind of knew — I thought he was going to try something like that and get it over to me. We talked about trying to find that other side of the ice, so as soon as I saw him try the spin-o-rama I thought he was going to sling it over to me. Great pass, great vision and I was lucky enough to put it in.
AUSTON MATTHEWS (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)
On tonight’s game:
Yeah, I think it was just a roller coaster. A bit of a run and gun kind of game and I think the third period, we just came in, stayed positive here after the second no matter what the score was and went out there and played. Got one early and then just kind of let the momentum roll over.
On how the team maintained its composure after the second period:
I think it helps when you’ve got guys in here with experience like [Spezza], [Muzzin], guys that have obviously gone through a lot in their careers. I think they kind of keep the team levelheaded whether we’re playing really well or not playing well at all. I think, you know, we held each other accountable today, keep each other in check and then obviously, you know, in the third period we had some fun, I guess.
JOHN TAVARES (1 GOAL, 2 ASSISTS)
On the team finding a way to win:
Yeah, I think, no question. A lot of ebbs in flow. A lot of swings in momentum. I think just great job, great resolve by the group. Outstanding. It shows our talent and our depth, the plays we were able to make. Guys just believe in themselves. I think it’s huge. But I think when we move forward, I think we know a lot of tonight wasn’t the recipe for success in the long term. You’ve got to find ways to win. It’s not always pretty. Certainly, I think we owe Fred [Andersen] a lot better than we were in front of him today.
On Keefe’s willingness to shuffle the lines to spark offence:
Yeah, he’s trying to do what’s best for the team and get us to play the best we can and get the results we need. So I think we all have a lot of trust in him and believe he’s doing the best thing for the team. So, as a player, you just try to go out there and do your job.
CAROLINA HURRICANES (22-13-2 – 46 Points) vs.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (20-14-4 – 44 Points)
MONDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2019
| 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | FINAL | |
| CAROLINA | 2 | 3 | 1 | – | 6 |
| TORONTO | 3 | 0 | 5 | – | 8 |
GAME SUMMARY | EVENT SUMMARY | FACEOFF SUMMARY
ON THE SCORESHEET
SHOTS ON GOAL (5-on-5 in brackets)
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | OT | TOTAL | |
| CAROLINA | 16 (11) | 14 (9) | 11 (9) | – | 41 (29) |
| TORONTO | 12 (10) | 8 (6) | 19 (18) | – | 39 (34) |
SHOT ATTEMPTS (5-on-5 in brackets)
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | OT | TOTAL | |
| CAROLINA | 23 (16) | 25 (17) | 18 (11) | – | 66 (44) |
| TORONTO | 20 (15) | 18 (15) | 25 (24) | – | 63 (54) |
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
| Record at Home | 10-4-4 (18 Games) |
| All-Time Record vs. Carolina | 47-58-11-7 (123 Games) |
| All-Time Record vs. Carolina at Home: | 24-31-5-2 (62 Games) |
| Record vs. Eastern Conference | 11-9-4 (24 Games) |
| Record vs. Metropolitan Division | 4-4-3 (11 Games) |
| Attendance | 19,176 |
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
| Shots | 4 (Barrie, Marner, Tavares) |
| Shot Attempts | 8 (Marner) |
| Faceoff Wins | 13 (Tavares) |
| Faceoff Win Percentage | 68% (Tavares – 13 won, 6 lost) |
| Hits | 2 (Muzzin) |
| Blocked Shots | 3 (Muzzin) |
| Takeaways | 2 (Marner, Matthews, Spezza) |
| TOI | 24:36 (Marner) |
| Power Play TOI | 4:55 (Nylander, Tavares) |
| Shorthanded TOI | 4:21 (Ceci) |
| Shifts | 29 (Rielly) |
| 5-on-5 Shot Attempt Percentage | 66.7% (Ceci – 18 for, 9 against) |
RECORD WHEN…
| Scoring first | 13-3-1 |
| Leading after 1 | 9-2-1 |
| Trail after 2 | 1-8-1 |
| Score multiple power play goals | 4-1-0 |
| Allow one power play goal | 8-6-3 |
| Outshot by opponent | 10-9-3 |
| Monday | 1-1-1 |
OF NOTE…
UPCOMING GAMES:
Criticized for their reluctance to sign someone else’s players, the Dodgers decided not to sign one of their own. That’ll show ’em. Hyun-Jin Ryu looked like a Dodger-for-life. He was the most famous Korean in a county that, in the 2010 census, had more than 230,000. He also was the best National League pitcher this…
Whicker: Without a Plan B, Dodgers might rue the day they lost Hyun-Jin Ryu — Press Telegram
The view from left field 