Jayson Tatum’s absence didn’t slow down the Boston Celtics, who beat the Toronto Raptors 106-104 on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena.
Draw with 2:30. to miss in the game, Payton Pritchard had a three-point shot that made the difference. The local heroes could not deliver offensively, apart from a successful free throw by Pascal Siakam, who finished with 29 points.
Tatum has had a stellar season, averaging 31.2 points per game, the third-highest total in the NBA. He had more than 40 points in his last two games, but the Massachusetts team still won a ninth straight game in his absence. She also suffered another blow when she lost the services of Marcus Smart and Robert Williams in the second quarter.
Trailing 85-81 after the first three quarters, the Celtics reclaimed the lead with nine unanswered points early in the fourth quarter. Jaylen Brown finished the game with 27 points while Grant Williams was having fun offensively with a career-high 25 points.
In a losing cause, Gary Trent Jr. scored 22 points. Montreal’s Chris Boucher settled for six points and five rebounds in 19 minutes.
Fred VanVleet was dropped from the squad minutes before the game due to rib pain.