Final: Celtics 116, Raptors 110 - Second half turnaround gives Celtics big win on back-to-back

Game 25: Celtics (+1) at Toronto Raptors, 7:30 p.m., Scotiabank Arena, NBCS Boston

Injuries: 

Boston: Danilo Gallinari, Robert Williams, Al Horford (back), Malcolm Brogdon (questionable, non-COVID illness)

Toronto: Precious Achiuwa (ankle), Otto Porter (toe), Juancho Hernangomez (doubtful, ankle)

Raptors probable starters: Fred VanVleet, Scottie Barnes, Christian Koloko, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby

Refs: Josh Tiven (#58), Sean Corbin (#33), Matt Kallio (#88)

A little something about this game: This is the first game where Boston is the underdog this season. The Raptors will test the Celtics with their size and switchability on defense, as well as their high-level players like Siakam and VanVleet offensively. The Celtics are getting Marcus Smart back, but they will be shorthanded without Horford and, possibly, Brogdon.

How Boston wins: The Raptors are going to be tough defensively, so the Celtics will have to work really hard to get their looks. If they work hard enough, they can get to the rim, but they can’t do it by isolating. The Raptors allow the seventh-most attempts at the rim, according to CleaningTheGlass.com, and they're in the bottom-third in percentage at the rim. Importantly, they allow the most corner 3-pointers, so the story of this game is going to be drives and kicks. 

Defensively, try to draw Siakam into a 1-on-1 battle. The less the ball moves for Toronto, the better.

How Toronto wins: If you think Boston lives and dies by the 3, Toronto is shooting 36.6% in wins and 29.1% in losses. If their 3-pointers are falling, watch out. They also average four more assists per game in those wins, so they are like Boston in a sense. If the ball moves and they generate good looks from 3, they're going to have a chance to win. 

Defensively, they’ll take what Miami and Brooklyn did to an entirely new level because they have the defensive talent to match up with Boston. They’ll switch and junk up the defense to throw Boston off. 

Things I’m looking for:

- Jaylen Brown’s roll continuing: Toronto allows a high percentage on mid-range shots, and Brown is among the league’s best in that area this season, so if he can get the ball on secondary attacks, he can do some damage either at the rim or 15 feet away. I can see Brown getting a lot of good looks and piling up another 30 point game.

- Smart controlling the offense: One of Smart’s best offensive traits is getting the team to move when they're getting stagnant, so I’m looking for Smart to have seen what we all saw against Brooklyn and Miami and not let it happen against the Raptors. Push the tempo, don’t let the Raptors get organized, and attack in transition to create easy looks. 

- Defense: They're on a little bit of a roll here defensively. Keep that same energy and turn the tables on Toronto. Let them be the team that stagnates. 

Follow along below or in the comments during the game, chime in, and let’s have fun.