Jaylen Brown left in the first quarter with hamstring tightness in Boston's preseason win over the Raptors Wednesday.
Jaylen Brown left in the first quarter with hamstring tightness in Boston's preseason win over the Raptors Wednesday.Charles Krupa/Associated Press
When the Celtics used a late 12-0 run to break a tie in the final minutes of Wednesday’s game against the Raptors, it appeared they would conclude the preseason on a high note.
Then the Raptors responded with a 14-2 burst that was capped by a Jamison Battle 3-pointer with nine seconds left that improbably tied the score once more. The Celtics called timeout with 3.3 seconds to play, and Xavier Tillman found an opening for a 10-foot floater with 0.8 seconds left that sent Boston to a 110-108 win.
Derrick White had 33 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists to lead the Celtics. Jaylen Brown left the game due to hamstring tightness midway through the first quarter and did not return.
Observations from the game:
▪ The Raptors scored 25 points in each of the first two quarters, but the Celtics’ defensive intensity appeared to tick up a notch in the second quarter regardless. On one possession, Payton Pritchard slid over on a perfectly timed double-team on Brandon Ingram that forced a shot-clock violation and delighted coach Joe Mazzulla.
In the final minutes, White and Neemias Queta blocked Ingram at the rim on consecutive attempts. And soon after, Josh Minott and Queta registered blocks on one trip upcourt. The Celtics had eight blocks in the first half.
▪ Mazzulla said before that game that his rotations will likely vary night to night, but he continues to offer hints that he will go deep into his bench this year. Despite the absence of Sam Hauser, the Celtics used 12 players in the opening quarter alone.
▪ Defensive rebounding has been a significant issue for Boston during the preseason and figures to be a point of emphasis throughout the year. Mazzulla made his frustrations clear in Sunday’s win over the Cavaliers, when he instantly subbed out players who failed to block out an opponent. The effort was better in the first half Wednesday, though. Nearly 10 minutes passed before the Celtics surrendered an offensive rebound. Toronto finished the half with 5 on 27 misses, a respectable 18.5 percent.
▪ Pritchard was 0 for 5 from the field and 0 for 4 from the 3-point line in the first half, but he was impactful as a playmaker. He registered seven first-half assists. On one play, he found a crease in the paint and fed Luka Garza for an easy basket.
▪ With Hauser out, Queta returned to the starting lineup and Chris Boucher slid over to his more natural power forward slot. Boston thrived with double big lineups last season, but that was due in large part to the fact that Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford were both dangerous floor spacers.
▪ Hugo Gonzalez continues to show promising flashes. In his first stint Wednesday, he spun through the lane for a layup and later swatted away an Ochai Agbaji attempt. Finally, he calmly drilled a 3-pointer from the left corner.
Then, soon after the Raptors had clawed back from a 13-point deficit and tied the score at 72, Gonzalez helped extend the lead back with a quick catch-and-shoot 3-pointer on a secondary fast break.
Gonzalez is just 19, but he does not look out of place physically. It seems there’s at least a pathway for him to nudge into Mazzulla’s regular rotation.
▪ Last season Mazzulla constantly harped on the importance of closing quarters authoritatively. He probably didn’t love the end of the first. The Raptors scored two quick baskets, and then Anfernee Simons committed his third turnover of the period before fouling Ja’Kobe Walter. The 7-0 burst transpired in just 45 seconds.
▪ The Celtics on Wednesday waived two-way contract player RJ Luis Jr. Luis appeared in three preseason games with the Celtics, tallying six points and three turnovers.
Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him @adamhimmelsbach.