Boston Celtics leaned on a dominant third quarter from Payton Pritchard to pull away from the Toronto Raptors and secure a 112-96 road win Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena. The victory improved Boston to 17-11 and extended its strong recent stretch to seven wins in nine games.
Pritchard delivered the defining performance of the game, scoring 33 points while orchestrating the offense for long stretches. Nineteen of those points came in the third quarter, when Boston flipped a tight contest into a double-digit lead.
Pritchard shot 8-of-10 in the third and finished the night 13-of-24 from the field, including 4-of-9 from three-point range. He also added 10 assists and seven rebounds, matching his season high in assists and controlling tempo against Toronto’s rotating guards.
Boston played without Jaylen Brown, who sat out due to illness one night after scoring 30 against Miami. Despite the absence, the Celtics maintained balance and spacing, scoring 34 points in the third quarter after being held to 17 in the second.
Derrick White and Anfernee Simons each scored 15 points, providing perimeter shooting and secondary creation. Simons also finished with a game-best plus-32, reflecting Boston’s control during his minutes.
The frontcourt delivered key support as well, with Neemias Queta scoring 14 points on efficient looks around the rim. Luka Garza and Hugo Gonzalez each posted double-doubles, grabbing 10 rebounds apiece to help Boston win the rebounding battle 55-37.
Toronto kept pace early behind strong shot-making but struggled to sustain momentum. Sandro Mamukelashvili scored a season-high 24 points, while Brandon Ingram also finished with 24, attacking mismatches throughout the night.
Scottie Barnes added 12 points and six assists, but Toronto’s offense stalled during extended stretches. The Raptors shot just 16-of-47 from three-point range despite attempting a season-high number of threes.
Immanuel Quickley struggled from the field, going 1-of-12 and scoring three points, while Ochai Agbaji was held to six. Toronto has now lost seven of its last 10 games and fell to 17-12.
The Raptors also remained without Jakob Poeltl for a second straight game due to a lower back issue, limiting their interior presence. Boston capitalized by consistently finishing possessions and limiting second-chance opportunities.
The Celtics return home Monday night to host Indiana. Toronto travels to Brooklyn on Sunday looking to stabilize its rotation and offensive efficiency.
