The Toronto Raptors tried another scrambled lineup, this time against the Boston Celtics. While the first half was respectable enough, the offense fell through the ice and drowned in the second half. A strong defensive effort was wasted. I don’t know when an NBA game was won by a team which made 11 free throws (Toronto’s total) but I’d wager it’s been many years, if ever.
This dreary game was clear evidence, not that we needed any more, of how long and arduous the NBA season is. Both teams suffered through 24-second shot clock violations, dopey fouls (Marcus Smart chopped DeRozan with a tenth of a second left in Q3, and DD had barely crossed mid-court), travelling calls and air balls.