Takeaways for Toronto as Raptors Fall in Tough Fight vs. Celtics

The Toronto Raptors held their own as Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett fought hard in a loss to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday

Aaron Rose | Feb 25, 2025

Feb 25, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) controls the ball as Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) tries to defend during the second quarter at the Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

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Toronto Raptors

Boston Celtics 111, Toronto Raptors 101

Measuring Up

Have you looked ahead?

Toronto entered Tuesday night with 25 games remaining. Of those, only six are against teams currently in playoff spots, and just one—Boston—looks like a legitimate title contender. The other 19 games are a mix of middling teams and those openly tanking.

In other words, evaluating this Raptors roster down the stretch won’t be easy.

So, what did Tuesday’s game against the Celtics reveal?

For starters, Toronto needs more shooting. That’s always the case against Boston, which launches threes at the highest rate in the league, but the Raptors gave themselves no chance, shooting 5-for-33 from deep. Immanuel Quickley never found his rhythm, finishing 0-for-6 from beyond the arc.

Then there was the defense, which couldn’t contain Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and company who made up for their own rough shooting night with a barrage of threes. Boston cashed in 15 threes with Derrick White and Payton Pritchard combining for 10.

“When you look at teams like that, they do a really good job of exposing some of your weaknesses,” Raptors coach Rajaković said pre-game. “You’re learning about yourself, but at the same time you're learning the opponent and what adjustments we need to make game one to game two to game three, and that really helps with the growth of the team.”

But Toronto also showed it’s not too far — at least while both teams remain shorthanded.

The Raptors pulled within seven in the final minutes as Toronto turned to Jamal Shead to close out the game against the undersized Celtics. A Gradey Dick fadeaway jumper gave Toronto hope, but that was as close as the Raptors would come.

Tatum drilled a mid-range jumper over Quickley and a White three put the Raptors away for good.

"I thought we did play extremely hard, really proud of our effort tonight," Rajaković said. "A lot for us to learn from this and get better."

Scottie Fights Back

For a brief moment Tuesday night, it looked like Scottie Barnes might not be himself again. Tangled up with Torrey Craig under the hoop, he took an awkward shove, tripped, and immediately grabbed his leg. As he hobbled up the court, wincing in pain, he appeared concerned.

Typically, that kind of discomfort has spelled trouble for Barnes, whose game relies so much on his athleticism and burst. Just last week, an ankle injury against Miami had sapped his explosiveness and led to a quiet night.

This time, though, things were different.

After a sluggish first quarter for Toronto, Barnes took control to start the second. He attacked Boston’s undermanned frontcourt, relentlessly driving to the hoop and sparking a 7-0 Raptors run. It was a stretch that highlighted exactly what makes him so dangerous when he gets downhill, using his speed and strength to overwhelm mismatches inside.

Barnes got things rolling with a tough turnaround jumper, absorbing contact from Derrick White and finishing from 12 feet out. Moments later, he showcased his physicality, driving at Boston’s 7-foot center Neemias Queta and powering through him for a bucket. When the Celtics adjusted later in the quarter by sending a double-team in the paint, Barnes responded by finding RJ Barrett with a pinpoint pass under the hoop.

"I just thought that Scottie was extremely aggressive, and he was in position to be aggressive in those secondary offense, early offense, and to attack," Rajaković said. "I thought that he did a great job getting all the way to the rim and finishing several times against their bigs, and finishing over Queta."

The problem for Barnes against Boston — and frankly all season — has been his shooting from behind the arc. He missed a wide-open three early in the fourth as the Raptors tried to cut into the Celtics’ double-digit lead and finished Tuesday 0-for-5 from three-point range.

Still what Barnes showed Tuesday was the kind of performance against a tough opponent the Raptors will need more of down the road and into next season. When he's aggressive, he's tough to contain and his 21 point against Boston showing proved it.

Lottery Look

With the loss, Toronto created a 2.5 gap ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers for the fifth-worst record in the league and moved within three games of the Charlotte Hornets for the fourth-worst record.

Up Next: Indiana Pacers

Toronto will hit the road Wednesday for what'll be the second night of a back-to-back in Indiana against Pascal Siakam and the Pacers.

Measuring Up

Scottie Fights Back

Lottery Look

Up Next: Indiana Pacers

Further Reading