In terms of competitive spirit and resilience, the Raptors, who remain without their two best players, had their finest hour when taking into account the circumstances.
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who → remain → circumstances
The visit by the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics on Wednesday had the earmarks of a signature moment for a Raptors team that had yet to beat an elite opponent this season.
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that → lead → opponent
Beating Boston has been very elusive, and it remains that way for the Raptors, who dropped a 98-93 decision to a Celtics team that won its 10th game of the season.
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that → beat → season
The loss dropped the Raptors’ record to 5-6.
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loss → drop → 5
The Raptors couldn’t make shots in the second half, and their late-game execution was not good.
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execution → make → half
When you have no true point guard, no legitimate shot-maker and there is a lack of poise with a game on the line, losses play out.
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losses → have → line
Toronto led by one point with under one minute remaining, but no points would ensue.
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points → lead → point
An open three-point attempt was missed by Jamal Shead, opening the door for the visitors.
Free throws were made by Boston down the stretch.
At halftime, the Raptors led the Celtics 61-54, which does sound good until one realizes the Raptors led by as many as 22 points in the second quarter.
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Raptors → miss → quarter
Momentum can be fleeting, especially when shots that dropped with frequency to begin the night suddenly hit iron.
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that → drop → iron
The more shots Toronto missed, the more prone the Raptors were to dropping their heads.
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Raptors → miss → heads
There are no excuses in the NBA, but the Celtics did play a night earlier in an emotionally charged game in Philadelphia.
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Celtics → be → Philadelphia
By no means does it explain Boston’s poor play in the opening quarter because it would be dismissive of the Raptors’ effort and efficiency.
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it → explain → effort
It became a matter of sustainability.
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It → become → sustainability
In the second quarter, sloppy turnovers, careless fouls and errant shots allowed the Celtics to get back into the game.
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Celtics → allow → game
The third quarter turned into a slog-fest when the Raptors couldn’t make shots on a night that began when they couldn’t miss.
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they → turn → night
They did close out the quarter with a flurry, fuelled by an 8-0 run built on the backs of Toronto’s bench.
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They → close → bench
Rookie Allen Graves had his best stretch of the season in scoring 10 points in the third.
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Graves → have → third
The following are three takeaways on a night the Raptors welcomed the return of Immanuel Quickley, who started at point guard, and Collin Murray-Boyles, who started at power forward; neither was particularly good.
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neither → follow → forward
When will Scottie Barnes return?
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Barnes → return → ?
No time line has been provided, but the good news is that Barnes, who serves as an unofficial coach when he’s not in the lineup, is feeling better.
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he → provide → lineup
Groin strains, it goes without saying, can be a delicate setback to overcome.
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it → go → ?
It would surprise many if Barnes returns Thursday in Philadelphia as the Raptors wrap up their back-to-back set with a date against the host Sixers.
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Raptors → surprise → Sixers
The Raptors have been providing weekly updates on Kawhi Leonard’s knee, the next one is expected to be announced next Tuesday.
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one → provide → knee
He is able to perform individual on-court activity, which is encouraging.
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which → perform → activity
Leonard has appeared in only two games, the opening two games of the season.
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Leonard → appear → season
Did the Raptors play their finest quarter of the season?
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Raptors → play → season
Hard to argue they didn’t, at least not based on how they started the night, their engagement level off the charts and their three-point shooting sublime.
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shooting → argue → charts
No trips to the charity stripe were made, no turnovers committed.
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turnovers → make → stripe
For a team not known for its three-point shooting, the Raptors made 10 from distance, the most for any quarter in club history, in fact.
Keep in mind the Raptors entered the night averaging 11 per game this season.
Of Toronto’s 24 field goal attempts, 18 were heaved from beyond the three-point line.
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18 → know → line
More importantly, the Raptors led 38-29 in a 12-minute period when the home side looked more like the Celtics.
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side → lead → Celtics
How did the Raptors defend Jayson Tatum?
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Raptors → defend → Tatum
One night after facing former teammate Jaylen Brown, Tatum was in Toronto as the Celtics made the first of their two regular-season appearances.
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Celtics → face → appearances
The Raptors had CMB on Tatum, one of the NBA’s best three-level scorers who has shown no ill effects following a ruptured Achilles suffered in New York during the 2025 playoffs against the Knicks.
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who → have → Knicks
Having received the cold shoulder from Brown on Tuesday, Tatum was cold with his shot Wednesday night as the Celtics played the game without veteran Paul George (illness).
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Celtics → receive → George
Graves also got an opportunity to guard Tatum, who wasn’t given many open looks.
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who → get → looks
Tatum missed four shots in the opening quarter, but he also dished off four assists.
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he → miss → assists
Tatum got it going in the second quarter, including a foul he drew on CMB, his third on the night, when the second-year Raptor landed on Tatum’s foot after the ball was released.
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ball → get → foot
It was ruled a reckless close-out, which resulted in a flagrant foul.
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which → rule → foul
Tatum went on a personal 11-0 run to highlight a 17-2 Boston run.
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Tatum → go → run
Out of the frying pan and into the fire, the Raptors’ tough stretch will take them to the City of Brotherly Love where the 76ers will serve as hosts for a Thursday night tip at Xfinity Mobile Arena; Philly enters the night with a 9-3 record, its losses coming against Detroit, Cleveland and more recently to Boston Tuesday night when the Celtics prevailed 123-101; Joel Embiid (plantar fascia management) and LeBron James (low back/sciatica management) are both questionable.
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Embiid → take → Boston
The Aporia
