Thomas Scores 23, Celtics Beat Raptors 91-79
BOSTON -- Taking advantage of the surprise absence of Toronto floor leader Kyle Lowry, the Boston Celtics won their third game in four nights, holding off a Raptors charge and escaping with a 91-79 victory Wednesday night.
With Lowry, who averages 21.9 points, 6.4 assists and five rebounds per game, a late scratch due to a sore right elbow, the Celtics built an 11-point lead late in the third quarter and then overcame their own scoreless run that lasted over six minutes.
Isaiah Thomas hit a 3-pointer, set up Amir Johnson for a slam and then hit another trey to turn a one-point game into a seven-point Celtics lead. Boston (42-30) went on to salvage the fourth game of the season series with the Raptors (48-22).
The loss, which ended Toronto's four-game winning streak, kept the Raptors from breaking their team record for victories -- they have won 48 games each of the last three seasons.
Evan Turner scored 13 of his 17 points in the third quarter as the Celtics took a 69-58 lead with 2:14 left in the period. However, Boston's next points didn't come until Marcus Smart scored with 7:49 left in the game. The Raptors scored 10 points during that time but also missed six free throws.
Thomas continued his offensive tear, scoring his team's first seven points and finishing with 23 points -- his 11th consecutive 20-point game. Turner added seven assists, four rebounds and two blocked shots. Johnson, a former Raptor, scored 11 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, dished out five assists and blocked two shots in his second straight double-double, his seventh of the season.
Avery Bradley added 16 points and eight rebounds, and Jared Sullinger had nine points and 11 rebounds.
DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with 21 points. Terrence Ross had 13 points, and Jonas Valanciunas scored 10. Bismack Biyombo had zero points and 13 rebounds, and Jason Thompson finished with 10 rebounds and six points.
The teams came out shooting the ball well, the Celtics hitting seven of their first 10 shots and the Raptors going 6-for-11. The game was tied at 19 with 4:52 left in the first quarter, but both teams scored just 27 points apiece the rest of the half, and it was tied at the break before Turner's big third quarter.
Without Lowry, who had 32 points against the Celtics in a win last Friday, the Raptors finished 24 points under their season scoring average. The loss dropped Toronto 2 1/2 games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, who won Wednesday, in the race for the best record in the Eastern Conference.
The Celtics kept pace in their battle for the third spot in the conference, but they face a five-game Western trip with a chance of dropping in the standings.
NOTES: Corey Joseph started in place of PG Kyle Lowry after resting in the previous game. He finished with nine points and four assists. ... Before the Lowry news, Toronto coach Dwane Casey said his team's health is more important than making up their deficit and catching the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Eastern Conference's top seed. The players seem to feel the same way, noting they would have home court for all rounds except the conference finals. ... Raptors C Jonas Valanciunas returned after missing four games with a hand contusion. ... Celtics F Jae Crowder missed his sixth straight game with a high ankle sprain, but the hope is that he can return at some point during a five-game trip that starts Saturday night in Phoenix. ... The Celtics observed a moment of silence for the victims of the Brussels tragedy.