Celtics at Raptors
The Toronto Raptors used a win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday to inch ever closer to their first playoff appearance in six years. One more win will do the trick - and they'll look to accomplish that feat against those very same Celtics as the teams renew acquaintances Friday night in Toronto. Terrence Ross scored 24 points to lead the Raptors to a 99-90 victory in the opener of the back-to-back, a win that reduced Toronto's magic number for clinching a playoff spot to one.
It has been a long drought for the Raptors, one that has taken its toll on franchise superstar DeMar DeRozan - who knows better than anyone what a playoff run will mean to Toronto fans. "I've been here five years and see how passionate these fans are," he said following Wednesday's win. "It definitely means a lot. We feed off them, the energy they bring every single night." The Raptors' win also put the brakes on an ugly 11-game losing streak in Boston dating back to 2008.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN New England (Boston), Sportsnet One (Toronto)
ABOUT THE CELTICS (23-48): It has been a trying year for Boston point guard Rajon Rondo, who added a new injury to his ever-growing list of infirmaries in Wednesday's loss. Rondo took an elbow to the face from Toronto point guard Greivis Vasquez in the third quarter and rushed to the locker room, where he was given nine stitches before returning to action early in the fourth quarter. Rondo, who has been limited to 24 games this season as he recovers from a major knee injury, finished with nine points and 15 assists.
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (40-31): DeRozan will, in all likelihood, get his first taste of playoff basketball this season - and he's one of the major reasons why. The 24-year-old USC product is averaging career bests in points (22.7), rebounds (4.5) and assists (3.9) while playing more than 38 minutes per game and shooting a respectable 81.6 percent from the free-throw line. Boston has limited DeRozan's effectiveness so far this season, holding him to 18.7 points on 37 percent shooting over three meetings.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Toronto has a 2-1 edge over Boston this season.
2. DeRozan averages 14.5 points in 19 career games against the Celtics.
3. Boston is just 3-21 on the road following a loss.