Coming off of an overtime game on the previous night, the Boston Celtics played one of their most sluggish games of the season in an 86-74 loss to the Toronto Raptors on February 10. Kevin Garnett was the Celtics' only regular starter to play well; Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen combined to shoot nine of 29 from the field with ten turnovers. DeMar DeRozan led Toronto with 21 points while Jose Calderon posted a double-double with 17 points and 14 assists.
The Celtics came out a step slow in the first quarter and Toronto jumped ahead with an early double-digit lead. The Celtics turned the ball over four times in the first six minutes and the Raptors made them pay in transition, taking a 16-6 advantage. Toronto led by as many as 16 in the first quarter as the sluggish Celtics played far too sloppily. It took a late push just for the Celtics to reach double-digits in the first quarter and they finished it trailing 26-14.
Boston's second unit came out with far more energy and cut the Raptors' lead to six early in the second quarter. Rajon Rondo had another tough quarter and finished a scoreless first-half with five turnovers and only two assists. Boston held the Raptors to 15 second quarter points to enter halftime trailing 41-34.
The Celtics' starters again limped out of the locker room and watched the Raptors rebuild their lead to 14. Turnovers continued to mount and the Raptors held a 12-3 advantage in fast break points through three quarters. The Celtics trailed 63-51 entering the fourth quarter.
Linas Kleiza and DeMar DeRozan held off a run by Boston's bench with some timely baskets. The Celtics hung around throughout the fourth quarter, but they never got any closer than nine back. Kleiza knocked down three three-point baskets in the fourth and DeRozan finished the game with 21 points on seven of 13 shooting to lead the Raptors.
The problem of fatigue will only become worse as the condensed season progresses. With 40 games left in their season, the Celtics will play 14 of them on the second or third straight night of games. They get one day off before returning to TD Garden for their next game against the Eastern Conference-leading Chicago Bulls on February 12.
Sources:
Boston at Toronto, Friday, February 10, 2012, NBA -- Yahoo! Sports
NBA.com
William Menna is a native New Englander and longtime Boston sports fan.
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