• As expected sequence openers go, this a single was a dud: The Raptors and Celtics entered the Japanese Conference semifinals white hot. Boston was the only 1 that stayed that way, beating Toronto 112-94 in Sunday’s Match 1. The Celtics led wire-to-wire, creating a 19-issue to start with 50 % direct that Toronto couldn’t get better from. Jayson Tatum (21 details) and Marcus Good (21) led the way, two of six Boston players in double-figures. On August 7, the Celtics shellacked the Raptors by 22. They approximately matched that on Sunday
What transpired to Toronto? The Raps have a record of playing improperly in Recreation 1’s, but this was unattractive. The vaunted Toronto defense was shredded in this just one. Boston shot 47% from the ground and 43.6% from a few. Corner threes were a large trouble for the Raptors. Boston’s travel-and-kick offense uncovered extensive open up shooters in the corners, with Tatum, Good, Jaylen Brown and Brad Wanamaker knocking them. Toronto could not get nearly anything of their personal heading from at the rear of the arc, ending shooting 25%. The scaled-down Celtics out-rebounded the Raptors (50-40) and matched them in points in the paint (38). Boston’s middle rotation of Daniel Theis and Robert Williams: 23 points, 20 rebounds.
• Paging, Pascal Siakam: How concerned should the Raptors be about Siakam? The All-Star ahead submitted a further clunker, a foul crammed 13-point (on 5-16 shooting) effort. Nick Nurse has pushed back again on the problem about Siakam, but just after an uneven stretch of seeding video games and a initial round with only 1 match capturing over 43%, there has to be some concern. The Raptors performed as a result of Siakam in the post, but Boston’s string of strong wing defenders—Smart, Brown and Semi Ojeleye—forced Siakam into hard photographs. Nurse has said it: Toronto wants Siakam to be a shot maker. He’ll have to do it against a Celtics workforce that performs outstanding perimeter protection.
• Kemba Check out: The Boston bench collectively gasped when Kemba Walker came up favoring his remaining leg soon after twisting it defending a generate by Siakam. Walker’s knee troubles date back again to February, when he missed time following the All-Star crack. They lingered through the hiatus, with the Celtics preserving Walker on a minutes restriction during the seeding game titles. Walker shook off the personal injury, started off the next fifty percent and completed with 18 details. But that knee has been troublesome. It’s truly worth observing how Walker responds in advance of Tuesday’s Match 2.
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