DeRozan scores 41 as Raptors top Celtics
TORONTO -- DeMar DeRozan led the way with a 41 points as the Toronto Raptors avoided a third straight loss, defeating the Boston Celtics 114-106 on Tuesday night at Air Canada Centre.
The Raptors (25-13) closed out the fourth quarter on a 19-4 run to pick up their third consecutive home victory over Boston. The Celtics (23-15) saw their four-game winning streak end.
Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas added a career-high 23 rebounds and 18 points. DeRozan finished with 13 rebounds and went 8 of 9 from the foul line. Kyle Lowry chipped in with 24 points, nine assists and four rebounds in the win.
Isaiah Thomas led the Celtics with 27 points and seven assists. Guard Marcus Smart continued to fill in nicely for the injured Avery Bradley, contributing 16 points, five assists, four rebounds and four steals.
Gerald Green and Al Horford added 14 points apiece for Boston, and Canadian Kelly Olynyk chipped in with 13 points.
The Raptors, who trailed by as many as 16 during the third quarter, used a late 7-0 run to pull to within five.
A Thomas layup pushed the Celtics' lead to 84-80 to close out the third period.
Smart paced the Celtics with 14 points in the first half as Boston held a 55-46 lead at the break.
After shooting 8-for-22 in the opening quarter, the Celtics were hitting at a 70 percent clip with 2:31 to play in the half.
DeRozan had 10 first-half points, while Lowry added 10 points and five assists for the hosts.
Raptors led 23-18 after one period, paced by six points and nine rebounds from Valanciunas.
For the game, both teams shot 47.1 percent from the floor.
NOTES: Celtics G Avery Bradley missed his second consecutive game due to an strained right Achilles tendon. Coach Brad Stevens had no update on Bradley's status for Wednesday when Boston visits Washington. ... Boston C Tyler Zeller (sinus infection) missed his fourth game. According to Stevens, Zeller saw "a bunch of different doctors over the last couple days.". ... Raptors F Patrick Patterson, who returned to the lineup on Sunday after missing four games with a strained left knee, made his first start of the season Tuesday. He finished scoreless in 21 minutes. ... Tuesday was the second of four meetings between the division rivals. Toronto won the first meeting 101-94 at the TD Garden on Dec. 9.