"Coach shouts some platitudes at halftime, the team gets it together and pulls off a spirited come-from-behind victory.But that happened in real life at Scotiabank Arena last night. The Raptors kept fighting in the third quarter, making it a 10-point game before the final 12 minutes. Boston's Neemias Queta set an illegal screen on Chucky Hepburn, causing yet another turnover, and the camera caught Boston's expressionless head coach Joe Mazzulla shaking his head."
"Boston had 11 turnovers in the third quarter and 10 in the final frame - 21 of their total 28 turnovers came in the second half. Toronto converted all those turnovers to 36 points. For those that tuned in the third, one could be forgiven if they wrote this game off - no starters were playing and it seemed like it was going to end in a blowout."
"Boston suddenly looked like a high school team that couldn't break the press. Rhoden robbed Scheierman in the paint and scored a bucket. Then, Jonathan Mogbo and Rhoden trapped Amari Williams in the backcourt and this led to a triple by David Roddy. Boston crumbled on the offensive end too, as Rhoden's closeout forced Kendall Brown to turn the ball over. Hepburn chipped in with a triple and POA defence on Scheierman, stripping him and then drew the foul."
Raptors overcame an early deficit with sustained defensive pressure and forced turnovers that fueled a dramatic comeback at Scotiabank Arena. Boston committed 21 of its 28 turnovers in the second half, including 11 in the third and 10 in the final quarter, allowing Toronto to convert those miscues into 36 points. Jared Rhoden energized Toronto with steals, traps and closeouts that directly led to baskets and forced turnovers. The Celtics struggled to break the press and protect the ball, with Chucky Hepburn and others drawing fouls and contributing to Boston's offensive collapse. The comeback narrowed a 14-point deficit late in the game.
Read at Raptors Republic
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