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 narrative is now written: the Celtics were a half-second away from leading the series 3-0, but now they’re 2-2 and in a fight to the finish with the Raptors. Toronto made sure of that by making 17 threes on their way to a 100-93 victory in Game 4.
With an opportunity to regain control of the series, the Celtics instead turned in 48 minutes of passionless basketball, never matching Toronto’s intensity. They also weren’t close to matching the Raps from the arc, hitting just 7 of 35. Boston also gave up 24 damaging 2nd-chance points, which again and again stymied any hopes of the Celtics taking back the lead.
It wasn’t pretty.
If that is the response to adversity just pack it up
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) September 6, 2020
We were looking for a strong start. It didn’t happen.
Celtics don't look very locked in early. Some blown coverages and then Walker, Tatum and Theis all watched the same rebound, while Lowry grabbed it.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) September 5, 2020
Theis got yanked less than 3 minutes in.
Early Time Lord Minutes. #Celtics
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) September 5, 2020
After trailing 11-4, the Celtics started making threes. Lowry kept Toronto ahead with 11 points in 5 minutes, but Tatum did this.
https://twitter.com/maxacarlin/status/1302381087608451072?s=20
The Celtics weren’t as intense as expected.
Raptors playing for their lives. Celtics just playing
— Tim (@only1big3) September 5, 2020
Celtics to start Game 4 pic.twitter.com/samTeqqQ0k
— Matthew Geagan (@MattGeagan) September 5, 2020
Robert Williams forgot to rotate onto VanVleet, who hits a 3. So Time Lord heads to the bench. TOR 23 BOS 18. #Celtics #Raptors
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) September 5, 2020
Timelord eventually played 15 minutes, but only 2 after halftime. Smarf was more involved than that.
Solid block in transition from Smart: pic.twitter.com/zYcO6fiDzu
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) September 5, 2020
Cs never held a lead in the first, but managed to stay close enough.
Raptors lead 31-27 after one
Tatum – 6 points
Walker – 5 points
Theis – 4 points
R. Williams – 4 points
Celtics – 3-11 three-pointersLowry – 11 points
VanVleet – 6 points
Powell – 5 points
Raptors – 6-13 three-pointers— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) September 5, 2020
Through 5 minutes of the second, the Raps led 40-35. They were making threes and the Celtics weren’t.
Raptors from 3-point range: 42.1 percent
Raptors from 2-point range: 23 percent— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) September 5, 2020
https://twitter.com/Kungu_NBA/status/1302387472979185671?s=20
Brown and Smart are a combined 2-for-11 FG and 1-for-7 from the 3pt line. #Celtics #Raptors
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) September 5, 2020
Boston was effective inside, however.
These numbers like to pop up time to time. pic.twitter.com/zHbzJ0dBNk
— Daniel Theis Fanclub (@Theis_Fanclub) September 5, 2020
Celts finally grabbed their first lead behind 7 straight points from – yes, this is correct – Semi Ojeleye.
SEMI 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/DkFijFtv5E
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) September 5, 2020
The Raptors faded in that second quarter because they shot just 7 of 23 (3 of 13 from the arc), but a Van Vleet 2nd-chance 3 denied Boston a lead at intermission.
Halftime: Celtics 49, Raptors 49
☘️ Tatum: 10 PTS, 2 REB, 2 AST
☘️ Walker: 7 PTS, 4 AST
☘️ Ojeleye: 7 PTS, 2 REB in 7 MIN
🦖 Lowry: 11 PTS, 6 REB, 2 STL
🦖 Ibaka: 11 PTS, 5 REB pic.twitter.com/LxLO0eJdmR— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) September 5, 2020
Jaylen couldn’t make a shot all night and in the third he started getting burned on defense. Also picked up his 4th personal.
Jaylen just really needs to come off the court he’s atrocious on both ends
— Corey B (@CoreyB08) September 6, 2020
That was an awesome improvised pass from Theis and Brown still can’t hit a corner 3. Boston’s getting good looks.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) September 6, 2020
Jaylen Brown tried the changing your shoes at halftime thing and that hasn’t worked, either.
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) September 6, 2020
Worse yet, the 3rd quarter woes returned.
12-3 Raptors run.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) September 6, 2020
Really wish the Celtics weren’t shooting 18% from 3
— Xanny DeVito (@trevorstweetss) September 6, 2020
Feeling like we need Kemba to go supernova.
— Chuck M. (@McK_Chuck) September 6, 2020
The game was slipping away when Toronto made three straight triples, going up 79-68, late in the quarter.
Three straight threes for Toronto ☔️
Get to TNT for the 4th QTR of Raptors/Celtics! pic.twitter.com/v3AS6WzP0D
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) September 6, 2020
When Tatum missed two free throws, the Celts were down 8 going to the fourth.
#Celtics trail #Raptors 81-73 after 3Q. Siakam 20, VanVleet 17, Lowry 14, Ibaka 17; Tatum 19, Walker 14, Brown 4.
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) September 6, 2020
Celtics have 11 corner-3 attempts … & have made just 1.
— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) September 6, 2020
That was an even costlier quarter than 4Q in G3…
Allowed Siakam to get back in a flow (6 for his last 11)
Poor bench rotation hands Toronto a +6 swing in a close game— Bobby Manning (@RealBobManning) September 6, 2020
3Q 3pt FG
TOR: 6-for-13
BOS: 1-for-6— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) September 6, 2020
Lowry made a heavily contested trey to extend the lead to 10 early in the fourth. At that point the Raps were 16 of 40 from deep while the Cs were a ghastly 5 of 25.
Celts couldn’t make any progress as Jaylen kept taking 3s. Incredibly, he missed 9 straight before finally connecting.
https://twitter.com/ProHoopsHistory/status/1302408602016194561?s=20
Meanwhile, Kemba wasn’t getting opportunities.
Just 8 shot attempts for Kemba. That's just way too low.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) September 6, 2020
With 3:47 left:
It is honestly shocking Boston is only down 7. Feels like 37. Hopefully they have a hot streak in them to steal this. #Celtics
— Dan Kelley (@DanKelley66) September 6, 2020
As horrendous as the refs have been, that's everything right there. https://t.co/yVGryLABav
— Mikewichter (@mikewichter) September 6, 2020
Needless to say, a frustrating game.
I need something to throw. Christ.
— Chuck M. (@McK_Chuck) September 6, 2020
Not the respond from the Celtics we hoped for, definitely.
Turnovers, bad shooting, a lot of frustration out there. Seems like the Raptors wanted it more tonight, simple as that.
— Tomek Kordylewski (@Timi_093) September 6, 2020
The pain continued until the end, as the Celtics scrapped back within 5, thanks to an and-one by Tatum off a missed Theis free throw. But Lowry baited the officials into a charge call on Tatum, to ensure that Toronto wouldn’t let this one slip away.
FINAL: Raptors 100, Celtics 93
☘️ Tatum: 24 PTS, 10 REB
☘️ Walker: 15 PTS, 8 AST
🦖 Siakam: 23 PTS, 11 REB
🦖 Lowry: 22 PTS, 11 REB, 7 AST, 2 STL, 2 BLK— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) September 6, 2020
Final thoughts.
It's just impossible to win a game shooting this poorly. They were outscored 51-21 behind the arc. https://t.co/ZTiW9LFtqZ
— John Karalis 🇬🇷🇺🇦 (@John_Karalis) September 6, 2020
Kemba Walker: "I don't think we matched those guys (Raptors) intensity."
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) September 6, 2020
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