Rapid Recap is designed for the busiest of Celtics fans. Whether you can’t stay awake to read 10 paragraphs or your hangover is just too much, Rapid Recap tells the timeline of the game in only a minute or two.
The Raptors are on fire, and not in the way Celtics fans might want; I mean in the sense of “winning games in dominant and decisive ways.” Suffice to say they’ve been real good. So I don’t think anyone was expecting the unmitigated ass-whooping Boston put down on the defending champs. But put it down they did.
Jaylen Brown led all scorers on both teams with 20 points and hung 6 rebounds and 2 assists on there for good measure. But this was absolutely a full-squad win. Six other players reached double figures: Jayson Tatum (18, along with 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals), Kemba Walker (17 plus 3 boards, 4 dimes and a block), Brad Wanamaker (15; yes I’m serious), Semi Ojeleye (11; stop laughing), Daniel Theis (11, plus 11 boards, 3 dimes and a block) and Robert Williams (10; I swear I’m not making this up).
Boston started off with the intensity of a team that was not underestimating its opponent. They applied intense defensive pressure so that despite their somewhat uneven shooting, Toronto was at a notable disadvantage.
So many deep threes for Jaylen inside the bubblehttps://t.co/xfNL5XoayE pic.twitter.com/YeJXivU3Y6
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) August 8, 2020
Brown, whose reliability in this restart cannot be overstated, led the offensive charge in Q1’s first half alongside Theis. The team knew how much they had to remain on the attack against the reigning champs.
Best the Celtics have looked so far. Doing it on both ends right now. Not allowing dribble penetration, which has killed them in the earlier seeding games. Getting stops & running off misses.
— John Karalis 🇬🇷 🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) August 8, 2020
After one, the Cs had a solid (if by no means decisive) lead:
Came out aggressive ☘️ pic.twitter.com/DRiyan1ABd
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) August 8, 2020
Boston kept the pressure going in Q2. (Though it should be noted that Toronto’s defense was actually fairly strong; if it weren’t, Boston would be leading by a lot more.)
Robert took ADHD meds and now he’s Dennisrodman
— Riffs Man (@Riffs_Man) August 8, 2020
Hyperbole aside, Timelord got big minutes in this second quarter and made the most of them. Tatum and Wanamaker—the latter of whom has been something of a scapegoat in the bubble thus far—made big contributions on the offensive end as well.
Brad Wanamaker giving good minutes?!
— Cousin DPOY (not notable) (@AndrewDoxy) August 8, 2020
You see what I mean?
IT'S GOING DOWN
I'M YELLING KEMBERRRRRRRRRRRR
— Jam Packard (@JamPackard) August 8, 2020
Kemba could’ve had a 4-point play if not for some intense tomfoolery in the form of a Nick Nurse coach’s challenge. Yeah, OK, Drew Carey With A Branded Hat. You do you. But if anyone was the true star of the second half, it was Theis, who proved himself on defense, as a roll man and from deep (two near-consecutive triples for our man).
Worth noting:
Folks wanted Drummond on 30 mil 🤢🤢🤢🤢 https://t.co/uplOVrttA9
— Karan (@ksenguptaa) August 8, 2020
Yep, that’s right. He was a major contributor to the halftime margin, which was 52-37 in the Celtics’ favor:
The Celtics just held the Raptors to 37 points in the first half. That ties Toronto's season-low in any half this season.
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) August 8, 2020
Toronto regained a bit of footing to start Q3, but not enough to close the gap by any significant amount.
Well that fun part where the Raptors were catching up didn't last long.
— Anthony Doyle (@Anthonysmdoyle) August 8, 2020
Sorry Anthony.
8-0 Celtics run after the Mad Brad timeout.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) August 8, 2020
Much better in the quick decision-making department. Draws two with his scoring gravity and rises to quickly hit Theis on the dive, giving the Celtics a 3 on 2, and eventually a wide open corner 3. Though this is obviously a much more structured situation pic.twitter.com/ffWUSrMB2I
— Max Carlin (@maxacarlin) August 8, 2020
even through contact, @KembaWalker's gonna get his pic.twitter.com/Xz4TC2cOIE
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) August 8, 2020
Brown continued his blitz from the first half, not only as a scorer but also in terms of secondary playmaking:
https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1291928988047142912?s=20
https://twitter.com/efraincarmelo/status/1291930887806947328?s=20
No sir he is not.
By the end of 36 minutes it did not seem like a comeback was even remotely feasible (although one should never say never given various recent examples from both the Celtics AND the Raptors);
too many highlights to keep up with so here's a score update instead ☘️ pic.twitter.com/x2stoSzzY1
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) August 8, 2020
Yeah. That’s…a pretty thorough offensive disembowelment, by any standard.
Città Erotica pic.twitter.com/m6Q57t2dym
— Andrew (@andrevvdef) August 8, 2020
Only three minutes into the final frame, the Celtics’ lead had ballooned almost to 40 points, and Nick Nurse effectively if not blatantly threw in the towel. Comebacks of 20-point deficits aren’t unheard of, and even 30-point comebacks happen once in a blue moon…but nearly 40 down? That means you’re pretty screwed to the wall.
https://twitter.com/DanielfromSport/status/1291934960518135811?s=20
109-69, Celtics with 7:11 to go.
Largest lead for the Celtics this year.
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) August 8, 2020
Toronto ultimately shrunk the margin of defeat to a somewhat less embarrassing number, but…when the relatively lead-footed Ojeleye is hitting you with an and-1, it’s curtains.
https://twitter.com/efraincarmelo/status/1291935930996199430?s=20
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