The Toronto Raptors’ reputation for poor starts might be history, if last night’s excellent first half against the Boston Celtics is any indication.
Of course, basketball is a game of 48 minutes, and the Raptors — who outscored the Celtics 37-29 in the second quarter to take a 6-point lead into halftime against the best team in basketball — fell apart in the third, getting outscored by 17 in the quarter. Despite coming back to within five late, the Raptors never truly threatened in the fourth, and the Celtics would go on to win 116-110.