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Toronto Raptors

Celtics’ Tatum Wins It in OT

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Jayson Tatum made a 3-pointer as time expired in overtime to give the Celtics a 126-123 victory over the visiting Toronto Raptors on Saturday night.

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Tatum had 24 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in the win. Jaylen Brown led Boston with 27 points.

Jakob Poeltl tossed in a career-high 35 points for Toronto, which fell to 0-8 in road games this season. Poeltl, who was 16 of 19 from the floor, also had 12 rebounds.

RJ Barrett added 25 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists for the Raptors, who have lost seven games in a row and 11 of their last 12. A Barrett layup tied the game with 55.1 seconds left in overtime before Tatum connected on the game-winning shot.

Boston’s Al Horford scored a season-high 18 points. The Celtics also received 18 points from Derrick White.

Toronto lost despite having a 76-42 edge in points in the paint.

The Celtics were without Jrue Holiday, who missed the game because of left knee tendinopathy. Before the game Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said he didn’t expect Holiday’s injury to linger. It was the first game Holiday has missed this season.

Boston used a 12-0 spurt to take a 14-4 lead, but the Raptors were within two points, 28-26, after 12 minutes. A Jamison Battle 3-pointer capped a 9-0 run that put Toronto in front 45-44 with 5:37 left in the second quarter, but the Celtics had a 56-54 halftime lead.

A 16-4 run gave the Raptors a 64-58 lead and Toronto led 68-61 after a Poeltl jumper with 8:05 left in the third. The Celtics moved in front 76-74 after an 11-2 run and Boston had an 86-85 lead entering the final quarter.

Toronto was up 114-112 following a Barrett basket with 59 seconds left, but Neemias Queta tied the game on a layup with 42.1 seconds to play. Neither team scored again in regulation.

–Field Level Media

Raptors Trade Siakam to Pacers

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INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Pacers and Toronto Raptors are finalizing a deal that will send All-Star forward Pascal Siakam to Indiana in exchange for Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora and three first-round draft picks, multiple media reports noted on Wednesday.

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Two of the first rounders are 2024 picks — one of which is Indiana’s — and the third is 2026 from the Pacers, per ESPN. The other 2024 first-rounder is the lesser of a Utah/Houston/Oklahoma City pick, according to ESPN.

The New Orleans Pelicans, the third team in the deal, are sending Kira Lewis Jr. to the Raptors and a second-round pick to Indiana, according to reports.

Siakam’s agent Todd Ramasar confirmed the trade in comments to another media outlet.

“I’m excited that Pascal is getting a first class opportunity with the Pacers, being paired with Tyrese (Haliburton) and Myles (Turner) and being coached by a great coach in Rick Carlisle,” Ramasar told Andscape.

Siakam, 29, is in the final year of a four-year, $136.9 million contract. He’s set to hit free agency in 2024-25 barring an extension with the Pacers. ESPN reported that Siakam is eager to work out a new deal with the Pacers in the summer.

The two-time All-Star is averaging 22.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 39 starts this season. He’s shooting 52.2 percent from the floor. He has played all seven-plus seasons in Toronto. He averages 17.4 points for his career. He was selected No. 27 overall by the Raptors in the 2016 draft.

Brown, 27, was in his first season with the Pacers after winning a title with the Denver Nuggets last season. He’s averaging 12.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 33 games (all starts) this season. The Raptors will be his fourth team in six seasons in the league.

Nwora, 25, is averaging 5.2 points in 18 games (no starts) this season.

Lewis, 22, is averaging 2.9 points in 15 games (no starts) this season. The Pelicans selected him No. 13 overall in the 2020 draft.

–Field Level Media

Celtics Remain Unbeaten at Garden

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – After a close call, overtime victory against the lowly Detroit Pistons, the Boston Celtics can remain the NBA’s only team without a home loss this season by beating the Toronto Raptors tonight.

Boston is coming off a 128-122 overtime victory against Detroit on Thursday. That win improved the Celtics’ home record to 15-0. The 1957-58 Celtics hold the record for consecutive home wins to start a season (17).

Kristaps Porzingis scored a season-high 35 points Thursday, when Boston overcame a 21-point deficit late in the first half to hand Detroit its 28th straight loss. The Celtics were out-rebounded 57-43 and shot 11 of 39 from 3-point range (28.2 percent).

“We knew that first half was really uncharacteristic for us and we had to turn it on in the second half,” Porzingis said. “Our effort was just completely different in the second half. This was a little bit of an example that when you’re good it’s easy to get complacent, maybe. That’s maybe what happened to us in the first half after a long time being on the road, different time zone — all those excuses we can find, of course. We just didn’t come out the right way. … Definitely a valuable experience.”

Jayson Tatum added 31 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for Boston, which received a 23-point performance from Derrick White. It was Boston’s first win in four overtime games this season.

“I didn’t think we played very hard,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said. “Didn’t execute in the first half and then we played Celtic basketball in the second half.

“(Friday) will be another experience, another challenge. Regardless of how (Thursday’s game) went, we have to be ready for (the Raptors).”

Friday’s game will be the second stop on a three-game road trip for the Raptors, who ended a five-game road losing streak by beating Washington 132-102 on Wednesday night. It was Toronto’s largest margin of victory this season.

The Raptors will play eight of their next nine games away from home.

OG Anunoby led the offense with 26 points against Washington. Pascal Siakam added 22 points and Scottie Barnes finished with 20 points.

“It’s always good to win, and it’s especially good to win on the road,” Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic said.

Rajakovic tweaked the starting lineup against the Wizards by inserting Gary Trent Jr. for Dennis Schroder, who contributed nine points and 10 assists.

“It was a change that we were looking for for some time,” Rajakovic said. “We decided that it was a good opportunity today to put Scottie Barnes more as a ballhandler and also we wanted to have Dennis to help with the second unit.

“Obviously it was one game. We’re going to continue looking at it and continue as we go.”

The Raptors had 43 assists in the win, one shy of the franchise record set earlier this season against Detroit.

“That’s a sign of playing the right way,” Anunoby said. “Getting in the paint, kicking the ball out and everyone being unselfish … wanting to see your teammates succeed.”

Friday’s game will be the third meeting between the Raptors and Celtics this season. Boston prevailed 117-94 at home on Nov. 11, and 108-105 at Toronto on Nov. 17.

–Field Level Media