TORONTO (AP) — Jayson Tatum made the tying and go-ahead free throws with 25.2 seconds remaining and the Boston Celtics overcame a 22-point deficit to beat the Toronto Raptors 98-93 on Wednesday night,
extending their winning streak to five.
Tatum scored 24 points, Derrick White had 19 and Payton Pritchard added 14. Neemias Queta had 11 points and 13 rebounds as the Celtics improved to 4-0 against Atlantic Division opponents.
Boston’s Paul George sat out because of an illness a night after he scored 36 points in a winning return to Philadelphia.
Tatum shot 6 for 21 and finished 2 for 11 from 3-point range. He was 10 for 12 at the free throw line.
Toronto’s Ja’Kobe Walter scored 17 points and rookie Allen Graves added a career-high 13, but the Raptors fell below .500 for the first time at 5-6.
Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard (left knee) missed his ninth straight game but is “progressing well” with individual conditioning, coach Darko Rajakovic said before the game. On Tuesday, the Raptors said they'd update Leonard’s status in a week.
Scottie Barnes (left groin) missed his third straight game but Immanuel Quickley returned after missing the past two because of a sore right hamstring. Collin Murray-Boyles started for the fourth time after sitting out Monday’s loss to Memphis because of illness.
Walter scored all 12 of his points from long-range as the Raptors tied a franchise record for 3-pointers in a quarter by shooting 10 for 18 from distance in the first.
Toronto shot 6 for 25 from distance the rest of the way.
The Raptors led 59-37 after Jamal Shead’s free throw with 5:24 remaining in the second, but the Celtics answered with 16 straight points. Tatum scored the first 10 by himself as Boston cut the deficit to 61-54 at halftime.
Celtics: Host Dallas on Sunday.
Raptors: At Philadelphia on Thursday.
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