The Toronto Raptors fell to the Boston Celtics 98-93 on Wednesday after going cold beyond the arc later in the game.
The Story
The Toronto Raptors got off to a strong start in their key divisional matchup against the Boston Celtics, but they eventually fell 98-93 on Wednesday.
Ja’Kobe Walter powered Toronto in the opening frame, hitting four three-pointers as the Raptors made 10 threes in the first quarter and tied a franchise record to take an early, unexpected lead.
After that, Toronto’s offence slowed in the remaining quarters, making 2 of 8 in the second, 3 of 9 in the third and 1 of 8 in the final quarter for a total of 16 for 43 (37 per cent) from beyond the arc.
Toronto head coach Darko Rajakovic said the first quarter stood out and emphasized building on that standard.
Walter finished with a team-best 17 points, including going 5 for 10 on threes, and said the Raptors’ approach was built around getting the ball moving early and trusting open looks.
The Celtics entered Wednesday taking an average of 42.2 three-pointers per game, ranking fifth in the NBA, and they made 38.4 per cent of those attempts; on Wednesday, Boston went 14 for 40 (35 per cent).
Rookie Allen Graves came off the bench for 13 points for Toronto, including making 3 of 4 from three-point range.
Graves said his confidence improved as he continued to trust in his ability, while adding that the short turnaround after the loss meant Toronto could focus quickly on the next game.
Toronto is set to visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.
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