English
The Toronto Raptors showed flashes of brilliance against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday but could not sustain their early momentum, falling 98-93 in a divisional matchup that exposed a critical weakness in their three-point shooting consistency.
A Record-Tying Start That Faded Fast
Toronto came out firing in the first quarter. Guard Ja’Kobe Walter hit four three-pointers in the opening frame, helping the Raptors sink 10 threes — tying a franchise record — and building an early lead against one of the NBA’s top teams.
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However, the offence collapsed after that. Toronto went just 2 for 8 from deep in the second quarter, 3 for 9 in the third, and 1 for 8 in the fourth. Overall, the Raptors finished 16 for 43 from three-point range, a 37 per cent clip that masked how badly they struggled after the first period.
Head coach Darko Rajakovic pointed to the opening quarter as the standard his team must maintain. “We made 10 threes in the first quarter,” he said. “We were getting great looks, open looks. It doesn’t matter, make or miss — we’ve got to trust the pass. We’ve got to trust the teammate.”
Toronto Tries to Beat Boston at Its Own Game
The Raptors clearly designed their game plan around attacking Boston’s identity. The Celtics entered Wednesday averaging 42.2 three-point attempts per game, fifth most in the NBA, and shooting 38.4 per cent from deep. In contrast, Toronto ranked 24th in the league with 35.2 attempts per game and shot just 31.8 per cent — fourth worst in the league.
Boston finished 14 for 40 from three-point range on the night. Rajakovic acknowledged his team took the right number of shots. “We took 43 threes — that’s a good number,” he said. “I still think there were a couple more situations where we could have made better decisions to kick out for open shots.”
Walter and Graves Provide Bright Spots
Walter led Toronto with 17 points, going 5 for 10 from three-point range. He credited the first quarter’s ball movement but admitted the team lost its rhythm after halftime. “We just didn’t start the second half at that same note,” he said.
Meanwhile, rookie Allen Graves came off the bench to score 13 points, second most on the team. He shot 3 for 4 from three-point range — a sharp improvement from his 22.2 per cent three-point percentage entering the game. “This whole organization has built my confidence game by game,” Graves said. “Their belief in me fuels me day in and day out.”
The Raptors, now 5-6 on the season, travel to Philadelphia on Thursday to face the 76ers, who carry a 9-3 record. Walter said the quick turnaround was welcome. “The blessing about the NBA is you’ve always got another game,” he said. “You watch the film quickly and move on.”
