For the first time in franchise history, the Toronto Raptors have beaten a series of playoffs. Now, also for the first time in franchise history, the Raptors are gearing up for a streak against the Boston Celtics.
Both teams finished the sweeps on Sunday, with Boston defeating Philadelphia and the Raptors defeating the Brooklyn Nets. But the Raptors also did it in a record way.
With Kyle Lowry playing just nine minutes from a left foot injury and starting guard Fred VanVleet grappling with foul play, the Raptors bench topped with an NBA 100-point record to take Toronto to a 150-122 win .
According to research by Elias Sports Bureau, the 100 bench points are the highest of any team in a regular season or playoff game since starters were tracked starting in the 1970-71 season. The Raptors’ 150 points also marked the most they had ever scored in a playoff game.
But setting new records wasn’t what mattered to Toronto after the game. It was all a matter of victory itself.
“It’s nice, I guess. My main goal is to win,” said Norman Powell, Raptors guard, who led the team with 29 points off the bench. “It doesn’t matter how we do it, within 30 or a point. I’m only interested in winning. It’s a small record to have. But I’m not going to insist or think about it. See you next time.”
According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Powell and Serge Ibaka, who had 27 points and 15 rebounds in 19:50, became the second pair of teammates from 1970-71 to have 25 points each off the bench in a playoff game. , joining Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams, who did it last season for the LA Clippers.
Ibaka also became the first player in playoff history to have at least 25 points and 15 rebounds in a playoff game playing under 20 minutes.
Toronto went 1-3 this season against the Celtics, but played them at three different spots throughout the year: the second night of the season, twice in four days starting on Christmas Day, and once again in the bubble , which was a Boston win with 22 points. It is also the only defeat Toronto has suffered since the season restarted.
“They are a great team and they are playing some of the best basketball right now,” Ibaka said. “We have faith in them and we know it won’t be easy. We have to come and play our best basketball against them.”
Ibaka said he saw a Celtics game in the bubble and said they are flying a little under the radar.
“There is not much talk but they are a great team,” Ibaka said. “When someone comes in, they play hard, they play as a team, they have a good bench. We have to go in to play basketball, man.”
The NBA says the series will kick off Thursday, giving both teams some rest before the match – something Raptors manager Nick Nurse has said he is looking forward to.
“Well, certainly we could use some rest, these games are coming very fast,” Nurse said. “It was a really fast first round for both teams. Much faster than normal. That first round is usually very slow.”
The rest will also give Toronto a chance to have Lowry ready for Game 1. The nurse said Lowry was doing an MRI on the arch of his left foot after Sunday’s game.
The nurse used a shorter spin in the playoffs and played her starters alongside Ibaka and Powell more, typically spinning into a separate eighth man every night – be it Chris Boucher, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Matt Thomas, or Terence Davis .
Keeping those guys fresh is another reason the bench was able to go out for 100 points against Brooklyn, but minute management is something Nurse will have to watch during the rest of the playoffs.
“I’m doing a pretty short rotation here, as you know,” Nurse said. “Those guys, we all know, from Chris to Rondae to Matt and Terence, obviously Serge and Norm … the seven guys I’m playing with want to play more. It’s hard to handle everything sometimes.”
While Toronto is hoping to have Lowry for the series, Boston will be without striker Gordon Hayward as he recovers his ankle sprain. Celtics manager Brad Stevens said on Sunday that Hayward has returned to Boston to begin his rehabilitation.
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