BOSTON -- Before this season began, the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors were pegged as the teams most likely to square off in the Eastern Conference finals for the right to claim the throne left vacant by LeBron James moving West.
Then the season started. And while the Raptors looked like every bit of the team they were supposed to be, the Celtics struggled out of the gate, with a wheezing offense weighing them down. It looked like that would be the case again Friday night, as the Raptors took control of the game here at TD Garden as the 3rd quarter wore on.