The Boston Celtics also won the second game in the Conference Semifinals against the Toronto Raptors (102-99). Boston benefited from the hot Marcus Smart and a Kemba Walker who thrived in crunchtime.
“I’ve never played with someone like Smart, I’ve never met a person like him,” said Tatum after Game 2 about his biting teammate. “He’s one of a kind. I would always choose him for my team so that I can go into battle with him.”
After 36 minutes, the Celtics were still 8 points behind before the previously offensively inconspicuous Smart exploded. The Guard scored 16 of his 19 points within three minutes, including five threes in a row, and brought the game to a head. The number 36 of the Celtics scratched the three-way record for the most triples in a playoff quarter. Ex-Celtics player Antoine Walker still holds this position with 6 goals in 2002.
Boston Celtics: Marcus Smart als Wild Card
Smart, who hit just 31.8 percent of his distance throws in his career, had hit just two of his 15 attempts from downtown in the series against the Philadelphia 76ers, now the all-defense player is 11/20 in the first two Players against the Canadians.
The Raptors benefited from such a change last year, when Fred VanVleet stayed ice cold against the 76ers in the Conference semifinals (1/14 threesome) and then shot out the lights until the title. “That’s a good comparison,” said Raptors coach Nick Nurse. “You have so many weapons and Smart as a wild card. He’s a good player, but not a real scorer. Now he’s had two games like this.”
Smart was essential for the Celtics to find their way back into the game, but the decision was made by another Celtic in Kemba Walker. The point guard converted all four of his throws to 11 points in the fourth quarter, taking most of the important ones. A three from the left wing brought a 6-point lead 2:24 minutes before the end, a long step-back jumper 42 seconds before the end brought the final score.
Boston Celtics: Kemba Walker towers in crunchtime
Walker was the only Celtics player with a field goal in the last five minutes and the only Celtics player to ever score in the last three minutes. Previously, Walker had thrown one brick at a time and was only 2/14 out of the field after the first three quarters.
“My team-mates helped me. Smart scored important three-pointers, Jayson Tatum played a strong game. In the end, I just had the confidence,” said Walker. It’s a new experience for the All-Star. In the past few years he felt he had to do almost everything in Charlotte, in nine years there were only two playoff appearances and only three wins in the postseason.
Now there are already twice as many with Boston, the Celtics are the only unbeaten team in the playoffs next to the Miami Heat. Jayson Tatum also played his part in this, setting a new career record in the playoffs with 34 points. His 14 hits from the free throw line in 14 attempts represented a career high. Not everyone liked that.
“The only frustrating thing about it was: He took 14 free throws, as many as we did as a whole team,” said Nurse, a bit pissed off and formulated a bit exaggerated. Toronto came to the line on 19 trips, Boston had 25. “Our boys worked well against him, he hit good throws. But they (the referees, editor’s note) took very good care of him today.”
Game 3 of the series will take place on Friday night at 0.30 a.m. (live on DAZN) instead of.
Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors: The Series at a Glance
| game | date | Time | Team 1 | Team 2 | Result |
| 1 | 30. August | 19 o’clock | Toronto Raptors | Boston Celtics | 94:112 |
| 2 | 1. September | 11.30 p.m. | Toronto Raptors | Boston Celtics | 99:102 |
| 3 | 4. September | 0.30 a.m. | Boston Celtics | Toronto Raptors | |
| 4 | 6. September | 0.30 a.m. | Boston Celtics | Toronto Raptors | |
| 5* | 8. September | tba | Toronto Raptors | Boston Celtics | |
| 6* | 10. September | tba | Boston Celtics | Toronto Raptors | |
| 7* | 12. September | tba | Toronto Raptors | Boston Celtics |
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