The Toronto Raptors were in serious danger of losing their grip on the Eastern Conference’s best record. Should the Boston Celtics cool out Toronto’s scoring, as they did in Q4 a week ago, the result would be disastrous.
The signs were negative after the first 12 minutes, as the Raptors could only muster 14 points. While they were defending well enough to keep the visitors in check, their shooting continued its downward trend.
Happily, the second quarter saw a speedy reversal of fortune. The Raptors bench bunch struggled to score early, yet weren’t giving the shorthanded Celtics any room.