With their $115 million man — Jaylen Brown — leading the way on both ends of the floor, the Boston Celtics outlasted the Toronto Raptors, 112–106, in a gritty win that saw three Celtics eclipse the 20-point mark by the final buzzer.
Brown and Jayson Tatum finished with 25 points a piece, while Kemba Walker added 22 for Boston in their first win of the season.
It was a slow start for just about every Celtics player not named Brown, who attacked the rim relentlessly while playing impressive defense of last season’s Most Improved Player in one Pascal Siakam. While ‘Spicy P’ would eventually catch fire, knocking down his first five 3-point attempts and slicing through the land on his way to 33 points, he didn’t score his first basket until late in the second quarter.
Meanwhile, Walker and Tatum overcame rough starts of their own, scoring 47 combined points while Tatum crashed the glass and Walker let players crash into him, racking up offensive charge calls while adding two steals and two blocks.
Walker would go 4-8 in the fourth quarter alone, heating up at the right time with the Raptors threatening to leave TD Garden with their second win of the season.
Aside from the Celtics’ star trio, rookie forward Grant Williams played an integral role in the team’s success, playing center for large stretches and making life hard for Raptors center Marc Gasol. His six offensive rebounds and four assists stuck out as much as his know-how, lending credence to the belief that Boston came away with one of the steals of the draft.
There will only be a quick rest for the Celtics, who play R.J. Barrett — the third overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft — and the New York Knicks on Saturday, Oct. 26.
