Game Rap: Raptors 115, Celtics 109

Holly MacKenzie - Raptors.com

DeMar DeRozan drilled a jumper to put the Raptors up four with 46.9 seconds remaining. Boston would miss and turn the ball over on their next two possessions, and Kyle Lowry sealed it at the line by making two free throws with 14.8 seconds on the clock, giving Toronto the 115-109 victory. The win moves the Raptors to 27-15 on the season.

Toronto got off to a great start, shooting 65 percent in the first quarter, and leading by as many as 13 points. The defence disappeared in the second quarter, as the Celtics made 14-of-20 field goal attempts, including 5-of-7 three-point attempts to erase their deficit and take a six-point lead at the halftime break.

Led by DeMar DeRozan’s 18-point third quarter, and a 13-point effort from Jonas Valanciunas, the Raptors poured in 40 points in the third to take a six-point lead into the fourth quarter. Boston didn’t go away easily, tying the game at 105 with 3:20 remaining, but back-to-back threes from Kyle Lowry and Terrence Ross kept Toronto ahead.

Boston coming through Toronto meant that Amir Johnson, one of the most beloved Raptors players of all-time, made his return to the city that embraced him during his six years with the team. After receiving a warm reception during starting lineup announcements, the Air Canada Centre crowd gave a standing ovation to Johnson during a video tribute in a first quarter timeout.

DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 34 points on 13-for-25 field goals. He added six assists, two rebounds and a steal in 38 minutes and he made eight of nine free throws. Most of DeRozan’s makes were heavily contested, but the Celtics, like the rest of his opponents of late, were unable to slow him down. DeRozan is averaging 22.8 points, 4.1 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game.

Jonas Valanciunas finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds. He was a perfect 9-for-9 from the floor and added an assist and a steal. Toronto was a +20 while he was on the floor. The double-double was Valanciunas’ eighth of the season.

“Get him the ball and get out of the way. He’s going to shoot his little Kobe Bryant fadeaways and he’s going to make em. Get him the ball and get out of the way, man. When he’s on one of those roles right there, you just sit back and watch a little bit.”- Kyle Lowry on DeMar DeRozan in a zone

55… Percent shooting for Toronto, compared to 51 percent shooting for the Celtics. The Raptors shot a blistering 73 percent in the third quarter as they erased a six-point halftime deficit to go into the fourth up six.5… Raptors in double figures: DeMar DeRozan with 34, Jonas Valanciunas with 19, Luis Scola with 18 and 14 points apiece from Terrence Ross and Kyle Lowry.54… Points in the paint scored by the Raptors, 38 for Boston.30… With his 34-point effort, DeRozan has now scored 30+ points seven times this season.3… Kyle Lowry dished eight assists against the Celtics, moving him past Damon Stoudamire for third on the Raptors’ all-time assists list.

“I think it just comes with experience. When you’re consciously trying to become a better player every single year you look at the things you can clean up on, get better on. That’s one thing I always study, and critique myself on more than anything.”- DeMar DeRozan on his improved shot selection“Just maturity. He’s growing up. Three years ago he probably would have gotten rattled and missed them but now he’s playing through the contact. If he doesn’t get a call, he completes the play, continues to attack and get in the paint and good things happen.”- Dwane Casey on DeMar DeRozan’s ability to finish through contact“He’s playing extremely well right now he’s playing at a really high level and he’s about to hit his prime right now. I think you can expect him to get better over the next couple of years, grow and be an All-Star type player and a perennial All-Star.”- Kyle Lowry on the level DeMar DeRozan is playing at this season“It’s important that you win ugly. We could easily be on the other side of that. We know we’re not doing some things well, turning some balls over. They were making threes, we were missing our wide-open threes. That’s going to happen. We’ve got to find other ways to win. I thought our guys found other ways to win.”- Dwane Casey on his team winning on a night when the defence was lacking“It was amazing. I knew it would be an ovation like that and it was well deserved. It wasn’t just oh [he came back], it was a well deserved ovation. He put his blood, sweat and tears into this organization, into this franchise. I think the fans, the organization, everyone appreciated what that man has meant to this place. For me and DeMar personally, our friendship is still growing and it meant a lot for us to see that tribute.”- Kyle Lowry on the ovation the ACC crowd gave former teammate Amir Johnson

The Raptors face the Miami Heaton Friday at the Air Canada Centre at 7:30 P.M. ET.