Raptors at Celtics
Aside from the opportunity to evaluate young players, the Boston Celtics don't have a whole lot left to play for this season - but they can make life miserable for their divisional opponents, beginning with Wednesday's opener of a home-and-home series with the visiting Toronto Raptors. The Celtics are likely headed to the lottery and are coming off a 114-98 loss to the rival Brooklyn Nets. Toronto enters with a 1 1/2-game lead over the Nets in the race for the Atlantic Division title.
That lead is a tenuous one, however; the Raptors are coming off a 102-100 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a game in which Toronto trailed by as many 21 points before rallying to make things interesting. It was a disappointing opener to a generous four-game stretch that will see the Raptors play teams well behind them in the standings. The teams split a pair of meetings earlier this season, with Boston prevailing 88-83 in their last encounter Jan. 15.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto), CSNE (Boston)
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (39-31): From a strength of schedule standpoint, Toronto has had one of the easiest dockets of any team in the league since the All-Star break. Yet, while the good times will continue for at least the next three games — two against Boston and one versus the woeful Orlando Magic — things are going to get a lot tougher from there for the Atlantic Division leaders. Toronto faces its toughest stretch of the second half beginning Monday in Miami, a three-game span that includes home dates with the Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (23-47): Boston's postseason chances may be next to nil, but to the players, a home-and-home set with the playoff-bound Raptors represents the next best thing at this point in the season. "I think it will be a good thing for our team to have to play against a team, learn through film, learn through walk-through and then have to go out and play them again," head coach Brad Stevens told the Boston Globe. The Celtics get the same opportunity a few days from now with a home-and-home series against Chicago up next.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The home team has won nine of the previous 10 meetings.
2. Toronto is 8-3 against divisional opponents, while Boston is 5-7.
3. Celtics PF/C Jared Sullinger scored 25 points and hauled down a career-high 20 rebounds in his only game against the Raptors this season.