Final: Raptors 113, Celtics 97 -- Undermanned Raptors hand C's worst loss of season

The Celtics had their rotation back at full strength for the first time in nearly two months on Saturday night, but it didn’t matter against an undermanned Raptors team hungry for revenge after being blown out on Christmas Day. Kyle Lowry put on a show with 30 points and 7 assists while Serge Ibaka added 20 points and 10 rebounds, helping the visitors cruise to a double-digit victory over the Celtics at the TD Garden.

The hosts had their five-game winning streak snapped as Marcus Smart made a rusty return to the floor (7 points on 2-of-9 FG) after a eight-game absence due to a eye infection. Kemba Walker had a team-high 30 points in the setback but the C’s offense struggled for much of the night, shooting just 40 percent from the field and 22.6 percent from 3-point range at the end of a three games in four nights set.

The Celtics now have two days off before heading to Charlotte for a New Year’s eve matinee.

TWO UP

Kemba Walker:  A team-high 14 points at the break including a 3 at the halftime buzzer to cut the C’s deficit to five. Walker was 5-of-10 from the field and got to the line four times in the first half.

Marcus Smart: The reserve guard breathed some defensive life into the Celtics’ in his retune while stuffing the box score with 6 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and a block in 12 first half minutes.

TWO DOWN

Transition defense: The Raptors were pushing the ball off of makes and misses through the first half and caught Boston’s defense scrambling on numerous occasions, which led to easy buckets

• The Celtics will get Marcus Smart back after an eight-game absence due to an eye infection. He will be on a minutes limit during his first game back in weeks. "It’s great to have him back," Brad Stevens said. "We haven’t been full very often, and obviously we still aren’t with VP and Rob out, but we’re a little bit closer on the perimeter obviously, and it will give us a chance to see how we can rotate those guys and different things, although a little bit muted because of the minutes thing."


• The Celtics have won five straight games by an average of 16.4 points during the streak. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have averaged above 25 points thus far.


• The Celtics can clinch the season series against Toronto with a victory tonight. They currently hold a 2-0 edge.


• The Raptors will remain without three key regulars (Marc Gasol, Norm Powell, Pascal Siakam) for this matchup. All remain out indefinitely.