Raptors (17-18) at Celtics (18-17) 3/4/21

[Somebody]

4 game win streak heading into the All-Star Break!

[gouki88]

4 game win streak heading into the All-Star Break!

It's exactly what this team needed. Get some rest into our guys (even with our All-Star participants that won't be nearly as draining as normal play) and get some practices with Kemba in.

It's really promising seeing our veteran point guards get into a groove with those around them, as well as the ascendancy of TimeLord. Hopefully we can get Langford back soonish too to bolster our bench defence, and see what he's got.

[nickagneta]

 I think once Smart is healthy and integrated back in, whether Danny makes any additions or not at the trade deadline, this team is going to be a hard out. Teams above them will be looking to avoid them.

Healthy and tuned in defensively come the playoffs, as KG said, anything is possible!

[gouki88]

I think once Smart is healthy and integrated back in, whether Danny makes any additions or not at the trade deadline, this team is going to be a hard out. Teams above them will be looking to avoid them.

Healthy and tuned in defensively come the playoffs, as KG said, anything is possible!

We've also quietly moved up to 4th in the East. A bench addition, whether through young development (Langford or Grant) or the acquisition of a veteran and I think we'd be really tough to beat. Especially with TimeLord

[nickagneta]

I think once Smart is healthy and integrated back in, whether Danny makes any additions or not at the trade deadline, this team is going to be a hard out. Teams above them will be looking to avoid them.

Healthy and tuned in defensively come the playoffs, as KG said, anything is possible!

We've also quietly moved up to 4th in the East. A bench addition, whether through young development (Langford or Grant) or the acquisition of a veteran and I think we'd be really tough to beat. Especially with TimeLord

Agree. Funny thing about all the kids on the bench, they almost all seem to be getting better and better and because they are young, they aren't consistent. But, more and more, they are growing their games and being more consistent and we are seeing one or two, different players on different nights, making incredible contributions to the team.

The difference in Timelord, Semi and Grant is remarkable compared to where they were after 36 games last season. And even this year's picks are better now than at the start of the season.

The Celtics don't win this game without Grant's 17/4, TL's 10/8/1 and 3 blocks and Pritchard's 10/2/4 with 2 steals. Add in a rejuvenated Jeff Teague putting in 14/1/4 with 2 stocks and the bench was dominant tonight.

[Tr1boy]

Tatum post game in case anyone missed it

Kind of funny

https://youtu.be/CbU8hyXQLuQ

[SparzWizard]

What’s up with Theis? Checked out in the first and didn’t come back...

Good question. Wonder if Brad says anything in the post game presser.

My first thought was injured, but it didn’t look that way when he checked out... Rest maybe, but why would he need rest right before ASB? Traded was the only other reason that crossed my mind, but surely we’d have heard by now?

Stevens said it was just RW and TT playing well.

Nice to have a three man trio.

Probably has to be traded. Why suddenly Stevens only limited his starting PF to just 7 minutes. Share the minutes with the other two bigs at least would make sense too.

[gouki88]

I think once Smart is healthy and integrated back in, whether Danny makes any additions or not at the trade deadline, this team is going to be a hard out. Teams above them will be looking to avoid them.

Healthy and tuned in defensively come the playoffs, as KG said, anything is possible!

We've also quietly moved up to 4th in the East. A bench addition, whether through young development (Langford or Grant) or the acquisition of a veteran and I think we'd be really tough to beat. Especially with TimeLord

Agree. Funny thing about all the kids on the bench, they almost all seem to be getting better and better and because they are young, they aren't consistent. But, more and more, they are growing their games and being more consistent and we are seeing one or two, different players on different nights, making incredible contributions to the team.

The difference in Timelord, Semi and Grant is remarkable compared to where they were after 36 games last season. And even this year's picks are better now than at the start of the season.

The Celtics don't win this game without Grant's 17/4, TL's 10/8/1 and 3 blocks and Pritchard's 10/2/4 with 2 steals. Add in a rejuvenated Jeff Teague putting in 14/1/4 with 2 stocks and the bench was dominant tonight.

Grant putting up 17 points is a very nice surprise. He's been an elite shooter of the 3 going back to the playoffs last year. Could see him hitting some big shots when one of our stars get doubled. Have much more trust in his jumpshot than Semi's at this stage

[ozgod]

I think once Smart is healthy and integrated back in, whether Danny makes any additions or not at the trade deadline, this team is going to be a hard out. Teams above them will be looking to avoid them.

Healthy and tuned in defensively come the playoffs, as KG said, anything is possible!

I think also the Heat showed last season that home court advantage due to higher seeding matters less with all the attendance restrictions due to Covid. Who knows what will happen for the playoffs this season, if things end up being played in a bubble again or not. Even if we finish 4th I like our chances. Brad seems to have used the first half of the season to experiment, to know who he can rely on and which combos and lineups work best with each other.

As fans we would like the team to win every game, and some of us tend to slit our wrists each time we have a loss, but I don't think Brad is too dissatisfied with where we are all things considered. We could certainly have done better and the team looked jaded the last couple of weeks of Feb before this run, but I think we will see much less lineup experimentation after the All Star break.

I also don't think any help will be coming in terms of new players before the trading deadline, certainly not anyone who would move the needle for anyone here. Maybe a support player but I have a feeling the brains trust will give the team a chance to dig itself out of the hole it got itself into on its own. Then they will try and make a big splash in the offseason once it's clear what exactly we need, a playmaking guard, a two way wing or a stretch big. Because based on forum feedback we need all 3 

[Birdman]

Get Smart back and add 2 more guys on the bench then we be good..don’t get excited bout Grant 17 points tonight..

[PAOBoston]

Feels good that they have won 4 in a row. But they’ve also gotten a little lucky in those games (no Kawhi/FVV/OG/Siakam) as I still feel they aren’t playing that great. But I’ll take the wins. Sometimes just getting a few gets you going. Hope they can rest up/practice and start second half of season strong.

The team needs Smart back and some additions to the roster. Whether or not those are big moves or not I don’t know, but they definitely need to add something to bolster that roster.

[Vermont Green]

I think once Smart is healthy and integrated back in, whether Danny makes any additions or not at the trade deadline, this team is going to be a hard out. Teams above them will be looking to avoid them.

Healthy and tuned in defensively come the playoffs, as KG said, anything is possible!

We've also quietly moved up to 4th in the East. A bench addition, whether through young development (Langford or Grant) or the acquisition of a veteran and I think we'd be really tough to beat. Especially with TimeLord

During the "Dark" period, I kept saying that it felt to me that we were close.  None of Kemba, Tatum, or Brown have been 100%.  We will get Smart back and even Langford.  Plus likely something from a trade or signing of someone released.  I don't see us winning a title this year but ECF is a reasonable stretch goal.

[LilRip]

Just finished watching the game on replay. Quite happy we got the win! But man, these Raps though.

Lowry seems like a guy who just won’t let his team quit. A lot of respect to that team for coming to play despite limited bodies. Their energy seemed to wake us up too and fortunately, we had more talent to close it out. I hope our guys carry this Raptor energy moving forward as we get closer to the playoffs

[Rikibellevie]

It is true they did very good and have a big talent to developp players (when you see how Powell a scorer can be, the energy of Davies and the jump from Boucher). They are not soft that is for sure. But the day before they took 30 points by Detroit, so I guess yesterday many players were specially hot.

[aingeforthree]

Feels good that they have won 4 in a row. But they’ve also gotten a little lucky in those games (no Kawhi/FVV/OG/Siakam) as I still feel they aren’t playing that great. But I’ll take the wins. Sometimes just getting a few gets you going. Hope they can rest up/practice and start second half of season strong.

The team needs Smart back and some additions to the roster. Whether or not those are big moves or not I don’t know, but they definitely need to add something to bolster that roster.

Well it all evens out. They’ve played around 23 crunch time games, & lost quite a few of those. So fortunately, they got the luck this time around.

With Kemba & Smart out the majority of those games, that’s pretty good.