Celtics hold on for win over Raptors after blowing 23-point lead

TORONTO (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored 30 points, Derrick White scored 14 of his 27 in the first quarter and the Boston Celtics beat Toronto 121-113 on Sunday, holding on late after blowing a 23-point lead in the second half.

Payton Pritchard scored 15 points and Anfernee Simons had 12 as the Celtics won their fifth straight and seventh of eight. Neemias Queta added 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Brandon Ingram scored 30 points and Scottie Barnes had 18 points and 11 rebounds but Toronto lost its third straight, all at home. The Raptors hadn’t lost back-to-back home games this season before Friday’s loss to Charlotte.

Boston led 87-64 after Pritchard’s 3-pointer about 3 1/2 minutes into the third quarter. Toronto answered by outscoring the Celtics 34-10 over the next 10 minutes, taking its first lead of the game on Jamal Shead’s layup with 10:39 remaining in the game.

The Celtics hadn’t trailed since the first half of Tuesday’s home win over the Knicks. Boston posted wire-to-wire wins at Washington on Thursday and at home to the Lakers on Friday.

Against Toronto, back-to-back 3s by White and Pritchard turned a three-point deficit into a three-point Boston lead with 7:15 left, and the Celtics didn’t trail again.

After making a season-high 24 3-pointers in Friday’s home win over the Lakers, Boston connected on 20 of 47 shots from long range against the Raptors.

The Celtics finished with one fewer made 3-pointer than Toronto had attempts. The Raptors shot 9 for 21 from deep.

Toronto has lost five of six heading into Tuesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal matchup against New York.

Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 14 points for the Raptors. Ochai Agbaji and Immanuel Quickley each had 11 points, while Jakob Poeltl and AJ Lawson both had 10.

Boston outscored Toronto 17-4 in second-chance points.

Up next

Celtics: At Milwaukee on Thursday.

Raptors: Host New York on Tuesday in the NBA Cup quarterfinals.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba