Raptors to face Bulls in play-in after falling to Celtics in penultimate game of season
Toronto to host Chicago on Wednesday in battle of 9th, 10th seeds in East
Sam Hauser scored a career-high 26 points and the Boston Celtics cruised past the visiting Toronto Raptors 121-102 on Friday night.
The Celtics, who secured the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs in Wednesday's win over Toronto, played without All-Star Jaylen Brown after he accidentally cut a finger on his shooting hand on Thursday. He also will miss Sunday's regular-season finale against Atlanta but expects to be ready to go in time for the start of the postseason.
Boston will face the winner of Miami and Atlanta in the first round.
With one game still left on its schedule, Tatum believes his team is in a good head space.
WATCH | Celtics cruise to win over Raptors:
"Experience is the best teacher. And this group, the last two years, we've been through a lot," he said. "We've accomplished a lot and we've failed. And we've failed together. Essentially, we've worked all off-season and all pre-season and had a great regular season... to get back to this point, to get back to the playoffs. To get another opportunity. Another shot."
Hauser's scoring barrage was punctuated in the third quarter when Al Horford intercepted a pass, tossed ahead a bounce pass and Hauser threw down a one-handed dunk. It was one of his three dunks for the game.
Tatum said Hauser's growth has put him in position to be called on in the postseason if needed.
"It's just a testament to how hard he's worked this off-season and this season to be prepared for moments like this," Tatum said. "He wants to go out there and produce and we trust him to."
Raptors to play Bulls in play-in tournament
Pascal Siakim led Toronto with 19 points, and Precious Achiuwa added 16 points and seven rebounds.
The Raptors entered Friday with a chance to improve their seeding for the play-in tournament. But the loss locks them into ninth. They will host 10th-seeded Chicago on Wednesday.
Tatum scored 15 points in the opening quarter and the Celtics ended it with a 34-16 advantage.
The lead ballooned to as many as 36 points in the second as Boston got to the rim with ease, connecting on 60 per cent (24 of 40) of its field-goal attempts in the half.
