In the first game of a home-and-home series with the Raptors, the Celtics fell 99-90 at TD Garden Wednesday night. The C's are now 23-48 on the year and if the season were to end today they would be battling the Jazz for the fourth-worst record in the league. It was the team's seventh loss in their last eight games.
The Raptors controlled the game from the opening tip, leading 31-22 after the first and building their lead to 15 at the start of the fourth quarter. Jared Sullinger led the Celtics finishing with 26 points and eight rebounds off the bench, while Avery Bradley added 16 points. Rajon Rondo posted nine points and 15 assists in the losing effort.
All five Toronto starters reached double-figures led by Terrance Ross, who had 24 points.
The C's will be back in action Friday night (7:00, CSNNE) in Toronto.
What they'll be saying: Rondo finished with 15 assists, but it could have been even more if the point guard didn't have to miss a good chunk of the second half. A Greivis Vasquez elbow split open Rondo’s face between his eyebrows requiring nine stitches. The Celtics captain did return to the game in the fourth with a bandage on his face. The C's took better care of the ball than the Raptors, winning the turnover battle, 17-10, but the visitors shot 45 percent from the field in their win.
