The Celtics were up huge on the Raptors, but they fell 107-105 on Friday in Toronto. Jonathan Mogbo hit the game-winning layup with 1.9 seconds left on the clock. The Raptors rested their starters while the Celtics continued to tinker with their lineups, though they also rested three rotation guys themselves. The C’s fell to 1-1 in preseason play following Friday’s loss.
The Celtics blew the game open through the middle portion of the game, building up a lead that peaked at 27 points. But the Raptors reserves battled throughout the entire second half, forcing a close game down the stretch. On the other side, the Celtics committed 29 turnovers as the bench guys struggled to even get a shot off late. That allowed the Raptors to put together a massive run at the end for the win.
The Celtics rested Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Sam Hauser, who all played in Wednesday’s preseason-opening win over the Grizzlies. Payton Pritchard, Anfernee Simons and Neemias Queta made their preseason debuts after missing Wednesday’s game.
Pritchard finished with 19 points in his first taste of game action to lead the way for the Celtics. Chris Boucher also had 19 points and nine rebounds (more on him later). Gradey Dick had 22 points and six rebounds for the Raptors.
The Celtics are right back in preseason action as they face the Cavaliers at 7 p.m. Sunday from TD Garden, the first time they’ll play in front of their home crowd. Here are four takeaways from Boston’s loss to Toronto:
Big collapse: The Celtics looked like they were going to cruise to another preseason win, but the Raptors just hung in there. Plus, the turnovers buried the Celtics down the stretch. Part of it was not having a primary ball-handler for some stretches as the C’s unloaded some of their two-way and training camp guys off the bench, giving them game minutes. But the execution just wasn’t there as the C’s had 10 turnovers in the fourth quarter alone.
Celtics debut: Plenty of eyes were on Simons’ debut considering he’s one of the more known commodities on the roster. It was a slow start for him as he also picked up three fouls in roughly five minutes of action. But Simons showed off his scoring prowess later on in the game. Simons finished with 18 points on 6-for-13 shooting, including 2-of-7 on 3-pointers. The defense remains the question mark, but he showed that he can fill up the scoreboard.
Happy homecoming: Boucher was already back at his old home in Toronto, where he played the past seven seasons. Plus he won the 2019 NBA title there. The forward excelled in his minutes Friday, and it wasn’t just because he hit shots. His activity level, much like some of his teammates, stood out. His ability to space the floor allows him to play alongside other Celtics bigs, and that size was an advantage. Boucher signed for the veteran’s minimum with the C’s and he’s been one of the early standouts of preseason thus far. He finished 7-for-10 from the field and has been a reliable veteran.
Another stellar night: Josh Minott was blunt that he views this season as a make-or-break when it comes to his career. So, he’s leaving it all out on the court every time he plays. Following a solid debut against the Grizzlies, Minott followed it up with more high-energy basketball Friday. Minott finished with 26 minutes, putting up 13 points and six rebounds as he also got the start. Minott has an innate ability to be around the ball and make things happen, which should fit right in with the Celtics.
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