Raptors at Celtics
THE STORY: The Boston Celtics will attempt to rise above .500 for the first time in almost a month when they host the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. The Celtics are playing the second game of a back-to-back. They survived a late surge by Cleveland in the fourth quarter Tuesday to win 93-90 and avenge an 88-87 defeat to the Cavaliers on Sunday. Boston is finally starting to get healthy. Center Jermaine O’Neal returned to the lineup against the Cavaliers after missing three games with a left knee injury and scored 12 points. Point guard Rajon Rondo is also inching closer to a return from a left wrist injury. The Raptors are also playing the second game of a back-to-back. Toronto welcomed back Leandro Barbosa from injury on Tuesday, but it failed to spark the offense as the Raptors fell 100-77 to the Atlanta Hawks. The guard played 17 minutes and had just two points in his return from an ankle injury.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, SNET One (Toronto), Comcast (New England)
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (7-15): Toronto has dropped 16 of 18 meetings in Boston. They haven’t won in Beantown since Jan. 23, 2008. Andrea Bargnani may miss a fourth straight game with a calf strain. The Raptors struggled without their top scorer on Tuesday, shooting just 37 percent from the field. Gary Forbes has been a pleasant surprise for the Raptors. The second-year forward had 10 points off the bench on Tuesday and scored a season-high 18 points in Boston earlier this season.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (10-10): The Celtics have won five of the last six games and are building momentum. Boston begins a five-game homestand Wednesday. The Celtics will host New York, Memphis, Charlotte and the Los Angeles Lakers after Wednesday’s tilt with Toronto. Boston will get a boost if Rondo can return after missing the last seven games. The guard traveled with the team to Cleveland and is expected back either for this contest or Friday versus New York. “He's really close,” Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said Tuesday night. Rondo is averaging 15 points and 9.4 assists per game.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. The Celtics are 41-21 all-time vs. the Raptors.
2. Boston is 5-2 without Rondo in the lineup this season.