Raptors at Celtics
THE STORY: The Boston Celtics are saddled with one of the toughest second-half schedules in the NBA. That doesn't bode well for a team with an aging core that is off to one of the worst starts imaginable. Boston will look to begin the climb back to the .500 mark Wednesday night as they entertain the Atlantic Division-rival Toronto Raptors. Neither team has been very good so far, but the Celtics' early-season struggles come as a bit of a surprise given the preseason expectations that had the team tabbed for a top-four finish in the East. The Celtics have dropped five consecutive games, and a chronic lack of offense has been the culprit. Boston has yet to score more than 88 points over the course of the losing skid, and hasn't broken the 100-point barrier since Jan. 2. The Raptors also come in having lost five in a row, the last three without scoring leader Andrea Bargnani (strained calf). He's considered questionable for Wednesday's game in Boston.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Rogers Sportsnet, Comcast SportsNet New England
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (4-10): Toronto's increased commitment to defense has helped lower its points against by nearly 14 per game over a season ago, but it has come at a significant offensive price. Toronto comes into Wednesday's action ranked 29th out of 30 NBA teams in scoring at just 86 points per game. While the team can point to Bargnani's absence as the source of its recent struggles, the Raptors aren't exactly burning up the nets with him in the lineup.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (4-8): Jermaine O'Neal is getting defensive about his role in the offense. With critics ripping him for his lack of scoring prowess, O'Neal responded sharply following Monday's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. “All the debate about whether I score, if I score, shots, whatever it is, I probably won't even answer that any more after this time,” he said. “That's not my role. My role has been given to me, and my role has been said to be a defender.”
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. It's the first meeting of the season between the teams. Boston took three of four encounters in 2010-11.
2. The Celtics are last in the NBA in shot attempts at just 74.7 per game.
3. Boston will play 18 of its final 31 games on the road – a stretch that includes a grueling eight-game road trip.