| |
|
NBA -- Celtics show fight, might as contenders
By Ricardo Carbajal PhilBoxing.com Tue, 01 Sep 2020

LOS ANGELES -- The Boston Celtics demonstrated the firepower befitting a legitimate title contender.
Jayson Tatum finished with 21 points and nine rebounds and all of Boston's starters chalked double-figures in points to easily handle the Toronto Raptors in Game 1 of the Easter Conference Finals played inside the NBA bubble at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Buena Vista, Florida.
Kemba Walker added 18 and 10 assists and Marcus Smart tallied 21 for the No.3 seeded Celtics. Jaylen Brown pumped in 17 while center Daniel Theis accounted for 13 points and 15 boards.
Fresh off their four-game sweep of the Sixers in Round 1, the Cetlics didn't skip a beat, shooting 47 percent from the field and 43.6 percent from long distance. They started hot and hit their baskets early and often to take a 36-17 lead late in the first quarter.
The Raptors, the defending champs and this year's No.2 seed in the East, never recovered from the fiery barrage.
As impressive the win was, Celtics coach Brad Stevens cautioned that it's a long series, a race to win four out of seven.
"We're not even in the ballpark of doing that yet. We won one game," Stevens, who just signed a contract extension with Boston, told The Associated Press.
Boston, which finished the regular season at 48-24, is missing the services of Gordon Hayward, who is rehabbing from an injured ankle. But their performance in Game 1 showed that they have enough weapons to beat the championship savvy Raptors.
Kyle Lowry led Toronto with 17 points and six rebounds.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ricardo Carbajal.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaiman: Boxing—A Spectacle of Masses and Millennial Stages By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Tue, 03 Mar 2026Golden Boy Promotions Vs Virgil Ortiz Jr going to arbitration? By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 03 Mar 2026Boxlab Promotions Signs Undefeated Nicaraguan Knockout Artist Jordan “La Cobrita” Orozco , Tue, 03 Mar 2026STACKED MARCH 14 UNDERCARD SHOWCASES GOLDEN BOY’S NEXT GENERATION OF CHAMPIONS , Tue, 03 Mar 2026The Perfect Boxing Prospect 12-0 Marco Romero , Tue, 03 Mar 2026Quietly formidable boxers Kristian Prenga & Pyrce Taylor continue Their assault on the heavyweight division , Tue, 03 Mar 2026“Prince” Albert Pagara Flies to Perth for WBC Australasia Title Fight By Carlos Costa, , Mon, 02 Mar 2026Ryan Daye vows a dominant standout performance in WBC title Clash March 13 in Perth Thunderdome 53 , Mon, 02 Mar 2026Moncal, Mag-aso rule Legacy Run By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 02 Mar 2026Lavant Brownlee Earns Gold, Lorenzo Patricio Earns Silver at Strandja 2026 Boxing Tournament , Mon, 02 Mar 2026Influencer Brooklyn Barwick Disputes hometown decision for NBA Americas Featherweight title , Mon, 02 Mar 2026HALL OF FAMER WINKY WRIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN 2026 HALL OF FAME INDUCTION WEEKEND FESTIVITIES , Mon, 02 Mar 2026Reyes Siblings New Champions in US chess tourney , Mon, 02 Mar 2026Lorenzo Parra Delivers Stunning Second-Round Knockout at Sold-Out Manny Pacquiao Promotions Event at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y. , Sun, 01 Mar 2026Almacen Bros Score Knockout Wins in Exciting Brico Santig Show in Thailand Live on TrillerTV By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 01 Mar 2026Lorenzo Patricio and Lavant Brownlee Advance to Gold Medal Round in Bulgaria , Sun, 01 Mar 2026HALL OF FAMER TIMOTHY BRADLEY JR. TO RETURN TO CANASTOTA FOR 2026 HALL OF FAME INDUCTION WEEKEND , Sun, 01 Mar 2026Paras stops Abcede in 2nd round By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 01 Mar 2026Undefeated Welterweight Ruben Aguilar Stops Luis Lopez in Eight Brutal Rounds in Main Event of ProBoxTV’s ‘The Contender Series’ at University of Texas in Arlington , Sun, 01 Mar 2026Patricio, Brownlee and Awinongya Enter Medal Rounds on Day Five of Strandja 2026 Boxing Tournament , Sun, 01 Mar 2026Matthew James Sugatan wins Flash-ADV 160 9-Ball Tournament at Pacman's Cue Club; pockets P30,000 By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 01 Mar 2026IM Arca finishes in eight place in Pacquiao chess; NM Ilar pockets P100,000 By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 01 Mar 2026DC Half Marathon on March 8 at Freedom Park By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 01 Mar 2026Athletics Festival Season 4 on March 21-22 By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 01 Mar 2026Nuñez vs Navarrete: Knuckle Up for a Certified Banger By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 28 Feb 2026 |

|
|
|
|
|