Game 6 of the Celtics-Raptors series was about as even as it goes when you look at the box score. 44 made baskets and 19 made 3-point attempts for both teams. Toronto and Boston almost attempted the same number of shots (Raptors 101, Celtics 100) in the double-overtime thriller. In a game and a series with so little margin for error, the Raptors showed why they are the defending champions and why that kind of experience still counts for something in big spots. Kyle Lowry (33 points, 12-of-20 FG, 6-of-10 3pt) woke up after a dismal Game 5. Norm Powell rewarded Nick Nurse for going to a small lineup late with a series-high 23 points, including a game-changing steal and basket in the final minute of overtime.
The Celtics did their best to counter the superb effort. Marcus Smart (23-11-10) had his second career triple-double, Jayson Tatum was only an assist short of his first (29-14-9) and Jaylen Brown added a career-high 16 rebounds while primarily limiting Pascal Siakam to 5-of-19 shooting from the field. Outside of a dud from Kemba Walker (2-of-11 FG, 5 points in 52 minutes) there was no one on the Celtic roster that should be hanging their head after efforts like that. This was a heavyweight slugfest that featured tremendous basketball from two of the best five teams in the NBA during the regular season.
Still in a series that should already be over by this point if the C’s avoid a defensive breakdown at the end of Game 3, missed opportunities were plentiful for the Green. Boston held the Raptors scoreless for the final four minutes and 22 seconds of regulation and were unable to take the game despite that drought after erasing a four-point deficit, coming up empty on three separate possessions of a tie game to close regulation.
The chances to close out the Raptors didn’t stop there. None was probably bigger than when the C’s were up by four points with the ball with 3:30 left in double overtime. The Raptors proceeded to close the game out with 17 points over the next 3.5 minutes of double overtime to come away with a chance to force Game 7 thanks to a scoring flurry from Powell and Lowry. In fact, double overtime was the highest scoring overtime playoff period in 30 years with a combined 35 points between the two squads.
Just like the Game 4 loss, there was plenty of blame to go around. Kemba Walker was taken out of the game in the first half by the Raptors box-and-1 coverage but he failed to come alive in the second half when the Raptors switched to small ball (5 points in 52 minutes), missing two chances at a go-ahead bucket in the final two minutes of regulation.
Behind him comes Tatum who is in grave danger of losing the battle for the best player in this series to Lowry. While the Raptors point guard shined in big moments during the end of regulation and overtime, Tatum save most of his miscues for the biggest moments of the game. Three of his game-high six turnovers came in the final minute of regulation and both overtimes, including what was essentially the game-clinching strip of him by Powell, which led to a three-point play the other way.
Brown faded down the stretch as well, going 3-of-12 from the field in the second half with some questionable shot selection in the midst of posting a career-high 30 shots. 31 points becomes a lot less impressive when it takes 30 shots to get there. At the same time, he became the first Celtic to finish with 30 points and 15 rebounds in a playoff game in 33 years (Robert Parish in 1987).
Yet, given the thin margin of error in this instant classic, it would be irresponsible not to address another underlying factor: A collection of bizarre decisions by the Game 6 officiating crew.
Not one play or call cost the Celtics the game in this thriller against the Raptors. Toronto threw the kitchen sink at Boston and were rewarded with a Game 7 for their efforts. However, the string of calls that went against the Celtics during crunch time are worth a second look ahead of what should be a very intriguing last two-minute report on Thursday afternoon.
Play 1 Nick Nurse pulls a Mike Tomlin
Situation: 98-98, 45 seconds remaining, Celtics ball
Interesting move here from Nick Nurse: pic.twitter.com/F0b3heqvKw
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) September 10, 2020
Still waiting for a reason that this wasn’t called a foul.
I’m rolling with the Celtics in Game 7 pic.twitter.com/2vhr5sqKk6
— Eric Rosenthal (@ericsports) September 10, 2020
