Valanciunas, DeRozan post big numbers
In a statement game, the Boston Celtics let it be known that they are a real threat to Toronto’s claim to the second best team in the East … but they’re not there yet.
DeMar DeRozan and the Raptors small- ball lineup made sure of that with DeRozan going off for a season high 41 points, 31 of them in the second half as the Raptors rallied from a 16- point deficit to snap a two- game losing skid and push the Celtics two games behind them in the bid for second overall in the NBA’s East.
It was by no means a dominant performance but there’s just something about this team that will not allow a three-game losing streak.
The last time the Raptors lost three in a row was in November of 2015.
“I think it’s the resolve of Kyle ( Lowry), DeMar, the toughness, Patrick ( Patterson), setting the tone, setting the culture that we don’t want to have those, lose three games in a row,” Dwane Casey said earlier in the day.
“You’ve got to have that culture. Does that guarantee that’s going to happen? No, but that’s our thought process, that’s our belief system.”
And that’s how it played out Tuesday night, particularly in the fourth quarter where the Raptors seemed to find another gear.
DeRozan wound up with not just a season high in points, but also a career high in 13 rebounds.
Jonas Valanciunas had a monster night on the boards with a career- high 23 rebounds while chipping in with 18 points.
The 114-106 final came despite 27 points from Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas, most of those in the second half and a solid first half from Marcus Smart who finished with 16 points.
Thomas only had nine points through the first half but doubled that to 18 by the end of the third quarter and then just kept going.
Were it not for DeRozan torching them at the other end, Thomas might have won this one for the Celtics.
The biggest edge t he Celtics had came in bench scoring and that was the direct result of a pre-game decision to give Patrick Patterson his first start of the season.
Patterson wound up playing 20 minutes and was held scoreless.
He is just two games in on his return after a four- game absence due to a strained left knee, but had not started a game in the regular season since November of 2014. He did start nine games during the Raptors’ playoff run last season.
Casey has said all along the starter at the power forward position would be fluid depending on matchups.
The decision to start Patt erson in hindsight did not help the cause Tuesday night.
In crunch time where Patterson normally excels, it was the small lineup of Lowry, DeRozan, Cory Joseph, DeMarre Carroll and Valanciunas that brought this one home.
Worse, the bench, where Patterson excels both offensively and defensively, were outscored 36-18.
Patterson has made it very clear he does not care whether he starts or not.
It was one game and it comes with Patterson still getting his legs back under him but based on Tuesday, he’s still more valuable to the team on the second unit.
The Raptors led after a quarter but were outscored 37-23 in the second quarter and went into the half with a large deficit.
The Celtics wound up shooting 47 per cent which is high by Casey standards but it was matched by the Raptors who finished at the same success rate.