Every weekend, SI’s Chris Manix will check-in with his bubble bits, which are an instant hit on something important inside the NBA campus.
Lake Buena Vista, Fla. – Three views Boston’s 112–99 winThat gives the Celtics a 2-0 lead over the Raptors in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
• Here’s how to play it by Marcus Smart: The Celtics entered the eighth and fourth quarters, and it felt like a bucket going out of reach through Toronto. The Raptors were playing well, Kamba Walker was playing terribly and Toronto had what looked like a golden opportunity to the series. Then Smart makes three. Five point game. After the Raptors bucket, he makes another. The lead is four. Then the next possession they a third box. A point game, Timetown Toronto and all the momentum turned in the direction of Boston. For Smart, three times in 72 seconds… which was 1-7 out of three before.
Want more? One minute later three more happened. and then Another Just three minutes after that, Smart scored five of three, the last evening’s game. Smart’s shooting gave Walker (17 points) time to warm up, Jason Tatum (34) time to roll and give the Celtics the win.
On the one hand: I’ve covered Smart closely since he came to the NBA in 2014. There is no other player with a more irrational goal. she is Never Disappointed, he has been one of the NBA’s worst shooters at various times. But he never stops. He keeps working, he keeps shooting and improvements are in the numbers. He was a 36.4% three-point shooter last season; This year, with his efforts at a career-high 6.6 per game, he shot 34.7%. The five-pointers he made on Tuesday not only got Boston back in the game – they broke the Raptors’ spirit. Smart is the anchor defending Celtics. He’s one of Boston’s most accomplished players when it comes to making three.
• Pascal Siakam’s problems continue: The numbers for Siakam were solid: 6 points, 6 points, 6 assists, 6 – 16 on the shoot. But he had two points, on a pair of free throws, in the fourth quarter. With the Raptors going down three in the last minute, Siam tried to get out of a drive. The Raptors did not score a field goal in the final two minutes. That should be a great time. There are some great circle shooters in Toronto, but they need Siam to make the play. Game 3 will put more pressure on Siakam to make a play.
• Log in, Time Lord: Another bright spot for Boston: Robert Williams, affectionately known as Time Lord, was given a nickname after remembering a conference call, a flight and his first practice as a patient, a major figure in the series. Presence. In Gayle 1, Williams had 10 points and five rebounds. He scored 11 points and four rebounds in Game 2. Williams had a slight Celtics first-round win over Philadelphia, but against Toronto it was Williams, not Anne Cantor, who earned the backup center minutes. Thin, spring Williams always have Clint Capella / Dindere Jordan – like capacity. In the series, he ignited it, and then collected some, easy shots on the offense and the rim and gave the Raptors a presence to be aware of the defense.
