Celtics - Raptors preview: C's get another chance

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Celtics - Raptors preview: C's get another chance

A. Sherrod Blakely

March 28, 2014, 10:45 am

No clairvoyant powers needed to know that Brad Stevens' first NBA season as the Boston Celtics head coach will have a playoff-free ending.

But he will get a little taste of what it's like from a preparation standpoint.

Boston takes on the Toronto Raptors tonight, the second time within a three-day period they will face the Raptors - the kind of schedule you deal with in the postseason.

"It will be a good thing for our team to have to play against a team, learn through film, learn through walkthrough and then have to go out and play against them again," Stevens said.

Added Rajon Rondo: "You kind of take it like a playoff game. If you play a game once, obviously there isn't much you can change within a couple days. You just try to do a better job of executing your offensive and defensive schemes."

The Celtics are hopeful that the familiarity with the Raptors will render a different outcome than Wednesday's 99-90 home loss.

"We know we didn't play well our first two quarters (on Wednesday) and that resulted in a loss," said Boston's Avery Bradley. "Next game I feel like we play a complete game, I think we'll have a chance to get a win."

Here are some other keys to tonight's game:


WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Toronto really hurt the Celtics on Wednesday with their 3-point shooting, connecting on 11 of 23 attempts (47.8 percent) which included a pair down the stretch that sealed the victory. The Raptors' 3-point shooting has given Boston fits all season. In their three previous matchups this season, Toronto has shot 42.2 percent on 3s - well above Boston's 3-point percentage defense which has limited opponents this season to connecting on just 34.6 percent of their 3s which ranks in the top-5.

MATCHUP TO WATCH: Jeff Green vs Terrence Ross

Green's sore neck injury made him a non-factor in their last matchup. He scored just six points on 3-for-9 shooting while being held out for the entire fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Ross delivered a team-high 24 points which included some tough, tightly contested shots. If he has it going, Toronto is awfully tough to beat. This season, the Raptors are 13-4 when Ross has 15 or more points.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Jared Sullinger really got hot in the fourth quarter when these two played on Wednesday, scoring 19 of his game-high 26 points. They'll need him to get going sooner rather than later.

STAT TO TRACK: As much as Toronto's perimeter shooting impacted the game on Wednesday, it was their ability to establish themselves around the basket that really put the Celtics on their heels. The Raptors outscored Boston 40-28 in points in the paint on Wednesday, the kind of disparity that they'll have to eliminate or at the very least, lessen if they are to have a shot at winning tonight.


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What a surprise, the Raptors are 3rd in the East. I never thought I'd see the day.

Jeff Green is DTD with a neck injury, so he may not play. Bradley is DTD, too.


KJ