Raptors crush Celtics to close in on first place

Kyle Lowry had 23 points, eight rebounds and four assists as the Toronto Raptors defeated the Boston Celtics 111-91 on Tuesday night.

Toronto now trails Boston by one game for first place in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.

C.J. Miles chipped in 20 points on 5-for-7 shooting from threepoint range as the Raptors (37-16) improved to 8-3 in their past 11 games. DeMar DeRozan added 15 points and six assists as Toronto improved to 22-4 at Air Canada Centre this season.

Miles was the best offensive contributor from a Toronto bench that outscored Boston’s reserves 54-41.

The 37 first-half points the Raptors held Boston to were a season low for a Toronto opponent.

About the only problem with the evening was the calendar said February rather than April or May, when a win like this will mean so much more.

Terry Rozier III had 18 points, five rebounds and four assists off the bench as Boston (39-16) had its four-game win streak snapped.

The Celtics won the only other meeting between the two clubs 95-94 on Nov. 12 in Boston.

Kyrie Irving, who returned after missing three games due to a right quad contusion, added 17 points and three assists. Jaylen Brown finished with 11 points and six rebounds.

Toronto held an 83-60 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Lowry and DeRozan each had 10 points in the fourth for the Raptors.

Boston was held to just 39 per cent shooting from the field through three.

Lowry had 13 points and five rebounds in the first half as Toronto led 58-37 at the break. Delon Wright added 11 points in 11 minutes on 5-of-6 shooting.

Earlier, in Orlando, Jonathon Simmons scored 22 of his careerhigh 34 points in the third quarter as the Magic overcame a 21-point deficit to beat the reeling Cleveland Cavaliers, 116-98.

The Cavaliers scored 43 points in the first quarter, but then went almost 61/2 minutes without scoring in the fourth and lost for the 14th time in 21 games.

Cleveland played the second half without coach Tyronn Lue, who went to the locker-room in the second quarter with what the team said was an illness.

LeBron James had 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Cavaliers, but did not have a rebound or an assist in a foulplagued second half.