Siakam, Raptors rally to edge shorthanded Celtics in OT
The Toronto Raptors stormed back from a late deficit to outlast the Boston Celtics 115-112 in overtime Monday at Scotiabank Arena.
Pascal Siakam led Toronto with a game-high 40 points, adding 13 rebounds, three steals, and two blocks across 47 minutes before fouling out during the extra frame.
"He's just taking it to a whole 'nother level. Like, 40s? It's getting crazy," Thaddeus Young said of Siakam's performance, courtesy of TSN's Josh Lewenberg. "He's been phenomenal. He's been amazing. He's been a great teammate."
The Raptors shot 43.4% as a team compared to a 41.5% field-goal percentage for the Celtics. Toronto finished with 11 steals, contributing to Boston's 17 turnovers.
"That was a tough one tonight, man," Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said following the victory, according to The Associated Press' Ian Harrison. "It certainly could have gone either way, and we've been on the wrong end of some of those."
Marcus Smart paced Boston with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists in 40 minutes. Seven of the team's eight players scored in double figures.
The Celtics were significantly shorthanded, as starters Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, and Robert Williams were all out. Williams is reportedly expected to miss several weeks after tearing his meniscus.
"It was a tough game," Smart said. "The fact that we did what we did and had chances - I'm proud of us."
Boston entered Monday's affair as one of the Association's hottest teams and lost for just the fifth time in 29 games. The Celtics are one game behind the Miami Heat for first in the Eastern Conference.
The Raptors (43-32) are now tied with the Chicago Bulls for sixth in the East with seven regular-season games remaining. The seventh-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers remain one game back of Toronto and Chicago after a Monday win over the Orlando Magic.
Young produced arguably his most complete performance as a Raptor with 12 points, eight rebounds, three blocks, and one steal. Gary Trent Jr. tallied 12 points after missing three games with a sore toe, while Khem Birch was sidelined for the Raptors with a knee injury.
Toronto and Boston split their four-game season series with two victories apiece.