The Raptors' bench mob shined bright against injured Celtics

Celtics vs. Raptors was a game of tug of war leaning in Toronto’s direction all night long. Both teams played on Tuesday night, too, and looked sluggish as a result. One team, though, just had a little bit more than the other.

The Raptors pulled away, only for the Celtics to claw back, over and over. It was a resilient effort by a Boston team missing four key players due to injury. The Raptors were just a step ahead and won, 96-78. They led by double digits the entire second half.

Boston played its trademark excellent defense, holding Toronto to just 43.5 shooting from the field. The Raptors only managed 43 points at halftime. The Celtics just didn’t have enough offensive firepower with their unfortunate string of injuries.

The Raptors solidified their standing as the No. 1 seed in the East with their win over Boston. The victory evens the season series between the two teams, and with the Raptors’ three-game lead, it’s all but certain they’ll enter the playoffs with home court advantage through the conference finals. But even though the Toronto came away with the win, a few things became apparent after their win on Monday.

Boston’s injuries are glaring

The Celtics may be the East’s No. 2 seed, but injuries have knocked them off their pedestal. Kyrie Irving is out indefinitely after knee surgery. Marcus Smart tore a tendon in his thumb, which just sounds painful. Daniel Theis, a key stretch four off the bench, tore his meniscus and is out for the season. Not to mention Gordon Hayward’s been out all season long after his opening night ankle injury.

As a result, Terry Rozier has seen the lion’s share of minutes at the point guard with rookie wing Jayson Tatum filling in as his backup. Without Irving’s wild playmaking ability, Boston’s offense becomes stagnant at times. It results in some questionable drives by Rozier, and there’s not much else the Celtics can do to create for their team. Rozier finished with two points on 1-of-9 shooting. He isn’t 100 percent, still recovering from an ankle injury, but the Celtics will need him to be his usual, electrifying self if they have a chance in April.

The East playoff picture is virtually solidified, and Boston will either face Milwaukee, Washington or Miami in the first round. If Irving doesn’t return for the start of the playoffs — and at this point, it’s unclear he’ll return until next season — there’s a real chance the Celtics could get knocked out in the first round.

Bench mob

Toronto’s bench saved the day once again. The Raptors second unit accounted for 44 points, led by 15 for Fred VanVleet, who is making a compelling case for Most Improved Player of the Year. Toronto has had arguable the best bench unit in the league this season, right up there with Houston’s. Even in the second game of a back-to-back, they still bring hustle and effort on the defensive end.

Behind Toronto’s reformed offense, the Raptors’ second unit has been the story all season long. If they keep this same energy through the playoffs, there’s no reason Toronto can’t have a real shot at a deeper postseason run this year.

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