Jayson Tatum erupted for 18 of his 23 points in a commanding third quarter as the Boston Celtics routed the struggling Toronto Raptors 125-71 on Tuesday, extending Toronto’s losing streak to 11 games.
Boston overwhelmed the Raptors in the third, outscoring them 45-18 while catching fire from beyond the arc. The Celtics made 10-of-12 three-pointers in the period, with Tatum draining four and Jrue Holiday and Sam Hauser adding two. Boston shot an incredible 74% from the field during that stretch, turning the game into a blowout to close out 2024.
Holiday returned to the lineup after missing three games with a right shoulder injury, finishing with 14 points. Payton Pritchard led Boston’s bench with 19 points, while Derrick White added 16. Hauser and Jaylen Brown each contributed 12, with Brown also grabbing nine rebounds.
Scottie Barnes was the lone bright spot for Toronto, recording 16 points and 13 rebounds. Jakob Poeltl pulled down 13 rebounds, but the Raptors struggled throughout, capping off a disappointing 2-11 record for the month of December.
Takeaways
Raptors: Toronto never found its footing after committing 12 first-half turnovers and shooting 29.5% (13-for-44) in the opening two quarters. The struggles continued in the third, where Boston more than doubled the Raptors’ scoring output.
Celtics: With the game well in hand, Boston led 90-53 by the end of the third quarter and rested its starters for the entire fourth.
Key Moment
Toronto started cold, missing its first nine shots and falling behind 6-2 early. However, back-to-back three-pointers by White and Holiday midway through the first quarter sparked an 8-0 The Celtics run, putting Boston ahead for good.
Key Stat
Boston capitalized on Toronto’s mistakes, forcing 21 turnovers while only committing 13.
Up Next
The Raptors return home to face the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, while the Celtics kick off 2025 with a road matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday.
