The Toronto Raptors have relished in the underdog role the entire season. When their backs are against the wall, they continuously show championship resolve and rise to the occasion. No more was that determination on display as in Game 6 when the Raptors defeated the Boston Celtics 125-122 in a double-overtime thriller.
The Celtics came out on fire early, including fourth-year forward Jaylen Brown. Brown had 21 points in the first half. He was imposing his will on both sides of the court. Despite Brown’s early dominance, the Raptors hung around and stayed in the ball game.
Toronto played tough defensively from the start, but shots weren’t falling for them consistently throughout the first half. Following a Norman Powell three-pointer, the defending champs ended the first half on an 8-2 run to cut the Celtics lead to four going into halftime. That late push in the final two minutes was the catalyst for their excellent play offensively in the third quarter.
Led by guard Fred VanVleet, the Raptors fed off each other’s energy and put up a 33 point quarter. Center Marc Gasol, who struggled with scoring most of this series, knocked down some key shots as well. Picking up his fifth foul late in the third quarter, Gasol was sidelined for the remainder of the game as Raptors coach Nick Nurse decided to match the Celtics speed by going with a smaller lineup.
In the fourth quarter, Toronto point guard Kyle Lowry willed his team. The six-time all-star knocked down several big-time shots over great defense. Tied at 98 for the final 2 minutes in regulation, both teams traded defensive stops to force overtime.
Points were hard to come by in the first overtime. Powell hit a crucial shot in the corner to tie the game with the Celtics up by three. Powell also produced two free throws to put the champs up by two. Brown knocked down two free throws for the Celtics to send the game to double overtime tied at 106.
The second overtime was the exact opposite of the first. Both teams traded baskets back and forth until up by one, Powell got a significant steal on Celtics forward Jason Tatum and finished the three-point play to put the Raptors up four with 38 seconds left. Lowry hit a fade-away jumper on guard Kemba Walker, and the Raptors regain their four-point lead with 11 seconds remaining in the game on the following possession. Following a Tatum three, Powell knocked down two clutch free throws to give him 23 points. The Raptors held surge on the final possession to win the battle 125-122.
The Raptors showed championship toughness on all levels. Every time they needed to respond with a big bucket down the stretch, it went down for them. Lowry was the lead catalyst for the Raptors as he finished with 33 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. The high point man for the Celtics was Brown with 31 points. Celtics guard Marcus Smart played tremendously with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists.
Game 7 will take place on Friday, September 11 at 9 PM EST.