The absence of Jayson Tatum didn’t slow down the Boston Celtics, who won 106-104 against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena.
Tied with 2:30. to elapse in the game, Payton Pritchard had a three-point shot that made the difference. The local favorites were unable to provide offensively, apart from a successful free throw by Pascal Siakam, who finished with 29 points.
Tatum is having a stellar season averaging 31.2 points per game, the third-highest total in the NBA. He had scored more than 40 points in his last two games, but the Massachusetts team still won a ninth straight game in his absence. She also suffered another blow when she lost the services of Marcus Smart and Robert Williams in the second quarter.
Trailing 85-81 after the first three quarters, the Celtics regained the lead with nine unanswered points early in the fourth quarter. Jaylen Brown finished the game with 27 points, while Grant Williams had fun offensively with a career-high 25 points.
In a losing cause, Gary Trent Jr. scored 22 points. Montrealer Chris Boucher settled for six points and five rebounds in 19 minutes of play.
Fred VanVleet was dropped from the roster minutes before the game due to rib pain.