The Raptors hope to end a 10-game losing streak against the Celtics this season and do so without injured guards RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, however.
This game may not be ideal for getting to the free-throw line; opponents’ starting PFs have seen the lowest foul shot rate when facing off against Raptors on the road.
In this article, we will discuss the high lights or top players list of Toronto Raptors Vs Boston Celtics Match Player Stats.
Here’s a table comparing the all-time best players from the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics:
Position | Toronto Raptors (All-Time Players) | Boston Celtics (All-Time Players) |
---|---|---|
PG | Kyle Lowry | Bob Cousy |
SG | DeMar DeRozan | John Havlicek |
SF | Vince Carter | Larry Bird |
PF | Chris Bosh | Kevin McHale |
C | Antonio Davis | Bill Russell |
6th Man | Pascal Siakam | Paul Pierce |
Coach | Nick Nurse | Red Auerbach |
The Boston Celtics have one of the richest histories in the NBA, so their all-time team is stacked with legends. Let me know if you’d like any adjustments!
1. RJ Barrett
RJ Barrett (illness) was limited to just one minute in Friday’s 130-112 loss against the Bucks, but should be ready for this matchup. Over his last five games he has averaged 23.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 6.2 assists and two three-pointers; making him an attractive option in all fantasy formats should he play.
Boston is struggling on both ends of the floor today, trailing by 16 with only four minutes left in regulation. They must find some offense quickly or this game could get ugly quickly.
The Raptors have found success converting easy shots in the paint, opening up space between themselves and Boston with time running out. Dwane Casey’s squad currently leads Boston in the East by several games, giving it hope of earning the No. 1 seed come playoff time.
Boston may be in an uphill climb to beat Toronto, but their defense has kept them alive in the game. Toronto just keeps getting to the rim and scoring plenty of threes against them despite Boston’s best efforts at stopping it.
OG Anunoby has been an incredible contributor for the Raptors since his return from injury, helping keep both teams moving. He’s scoring, grabbing rebounds, and dishing out assists at an unprecedented rate – something which the Celtics simply cannot match up against him.
2. OG Anunoby
OG Anunoby will play in Sunday’s Game 7 against the Pacers after initially being listed as questionable on Saturday due to a right foot sprain. Anunoby has been an invaluable addition since joining New York and his health is crucial for their playoff hopes; fantasy managers should monitor his status prior to game time on Sunday as DFS options may become riskier.
OG Anunoby was in great form in Wednesday night’s loss against the Raptors for the Knicks, scoring nine points and collecting five rebounds while struggling with injuries this season, potentially seeing his minutes reduced further if their playoff hopes come tumbling through. When healthy again, Anunoby will look to add to his career-best totals of 12.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
The Celtics suffered their second loss to Toronto this season at great expense, suffering four starters to injury while looking disjointed on both ends of the floor. Payton Pritchard and Kristaps Porzingis each scored 20 points but their team’s poor shooting was too much to overcome.
With less than four minutes left in this matchup, Toronto is ahead by 16 points with just under four remaining. Boston has yet to score on Toronto and Toronto is running away with their lead; no hope remains for Boston and Scotiabank Arena is becoming increasingly restless as the game becomes increasingly entertaining despite initial struggles from both teams.
3. Marc Gasol
At first it seemed as if Marc Gasol might finally break out of his slump and rediscover his form as one of the NBA’s premier players, but after another frustrating performance on Friday it is time to acknowledge that he still struggles.
Gasol missed 12 of 15 field goal attempts, including all five three-point attempts he attempted – not good enough considering he is supposed to be an integral part of Toronto Raptors offense.
He’s been an integral component of Toronto’s transition offense, ranking third overall this season. But from beyond the 3-point arc he is an undoubtable liability: taking only 2.68 threes this year and not making more than four per game over his last nine contests.
Even when he’s shooting well, he doesn’t offer much production in other areas of the game for Toronto – ranking last among regular Raptors players this season in WinShares per 48 minutes and last in rebound per game production.
Gasol found one positive in this game for himself – not experiencing any significant injuries – which was an especially valuable feat given that Toronto were without Scottie Barnes (orbital fracture) and Bruno Fernando (right knee tendinopathy). Late in the game he also avoided making an expensive error by challenging a call on Daniel Theis after he crossed over on an offensive rebound play; the challenge was successful and led directly to an Anunoby score on this play – another testament of Toronto’s coaching staff making smart decisions regarding challenges – an impressive feat given all their opponents could do in this matchup.
4. Jakob Poeltl
The Boston Celtics’ inability to find their offensive groove against Toronto has resulted in an uneven first half for Boston, who trail by a significant margin with roughly 10 minutes left in the quarter.
Jakob Poeltl has been an excellent addition to the Raptors roster this season and made an impressionful performance against the Celtics on Wednesday. The Austrian center averages 16.0 points and 10.8 rebounds per game while providing blocks and defensive rebound, making him a fantastic fantasy choice this year.
Poeltl was upgraded from outright out due to back stiffness to questionable for Monday’s matchup against New Orleans Pelicans, but is expected to return as their starting center against an opponent that allowed fourth most points per center opponent (Pelicans).
OG Anunoby and the Raptors have taken an impressive early lead. Boston managed only three points through halftime.
The Raptors currently hold a 14-point advantage through three quarters and have their opponents struggling to score, creating an increasingly ugly matchup.
The Celtics were without Jayson Tatum and Al Horford during Wednesday night’s loss to Toronto Raptors, so their focus will now turn toward Friday’s game against Orlando Magic – where they hope to rebound after dropping three of five recently and falling below 21-5 since beginning the season 21-5.
5. Pascal Siakam
Siakam was instrumental in Toronto’s 133-119 win against the Pistons on Wednesday, scoring 37 points (21 of 31 on field goals, 4 of 7 three-point attempts and three of four free throw attempts), six rebounds, four assists and one block across 31 minutes – his first 30-plus point game since Apr 23rd 2024 against Bucks! At 26 years old Cameroonian origin Siakam has been key in Toronto’s recent surge, contributing 22.4 points, 7.8 rebounds 3.8 assists, 1.5 threes and 0.8 blocks per contest!
Siakam has averaged 9.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists over his past two outings against Boston, his best two-game total against them in his career (second only to April 7 when he scored 25 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals TD Garden win; also marking ninth 20/10/5 game this year, breaking Chris Bosh’s franchise record of eight).
Siakam will aim to keep up his outstanding offensive production against the Celtics on Thursday. Their last two meetings saw them achieve league-best offensive efficiency (50.4 points per 100 possessions), so this matchup should provide a great test of his skills. The Celtics rank fifth in the NBA in defensive rating (44.9 points per 100 possessions at home), which could help restrict some of his scoring opportunities. Boston’s defense has also proven formidable on the boards this season, allowing opponents to grab an average of 12.1 offensive rebounds per game – the seventh-best figure in the league – which should help lengthen possessions and create extra scoring chances for its offense. Conversely, Toronto has averaged an impressively low rate of turnovers on the road this year at only 0.9 turnovers per game; something which will undoubtedly compromise their offensive efficiency in this matchup.