Tatum’s buzzer-beater sinks the Raptors in overtime, 126-123.

The Raptors play valiantly but lose the second game of a back-to-back against the defending champs.

Add this one to the list of close-but-no-cigar losses for the Toronto Raptors.

Jayson Tatum nailed a game-winning, buzzer-beating three-pointer to give the Boston Celtics a 126-123 victory over the visiting Raptors. Tatum fell one assist shy of a triple-double, compiling 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists. The reigning Finals MVP, Jaylen Brown, led all Celtics with 27 points while chipping in with 6 rebounds and 7 assists.

RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl once again led the Raptors. One night after the duo accounted for approximately 50% of the team’s points, rebounds, and assists, the pair did it again. This time, in the home of the defending champions, in the second game of a home-road back-to-back. Barrett finished his first career triple-double, scoring 25 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and collecting a career-high 15 assists. Not only was that the first time a Raptor had collected those stats in the same game, but it was the first time a Canadian had ever had 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 15 assists. Meanwhile, Poeltl followed up a career-high 19-rebound performance against Detroit with a career-high 35-point performance in Boston!

The Celtics were without Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jaden Springer, while the Raptors were without…….nearly half the team again! Scottie Barnes, Bruce Brown, Immanuel Quickley, Kelly Olynyk, and Ja’Kobe Walter were all in street clothes.

Boston entered the game well-rested, having not played since shellacking the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. Toronto, on the other hand, was playing less than 24 hours after losing a tight game at home to Detroit. The rest advantage was obvious after tipoff as the Celtics raced out to a 14-4 lead within the first four minutes of the game!

The Celtics lived up to its billing as the most liberal team when it comes to three-point shooting. Over half the shots they take (52.1%, #1 in the NBA) are beyond the arc, but tonight that number was blown out of the water. Boston attempted 61(!) three-pointers and almost had as many three-point field goals made (21) as Toronto attempted (23).

The Raptors only trailed 28-26 after one quarter. 15 of the Celtics’ points came from beyond the arc while 20 of Toronto’s points came in the paint. This would be a recurring theme throughout the game with Boston raining shots from outside while Toronto consistently found ways to score inside. The Celtics outscored the Raptors 63-27 on three-pointers, while Toronto outscored Boston 76-42 in points in the paint.

Tatum scored 13 points in the first quarter but Ochai Agbaji did a great job defensively on the MVP candidate, holding him to 8 points over the remaining 3+ quarters before the game-winner.

The second quarter followed a similar format as the first. Boston rode the momentum of the crowd and hit the occasional three (“only” three made threes in this quarter), at one point growing the lead back up to 8. However, Toronto clawed back with a 9-0 run and retake the lead at 45-44. Back and forth these teams exchanged haymakers: Boston from three, Toronto in the paint. Not much separated the teams as the 2-point lead Boston enjoyed in the first quarter was still the same at halftime.

Similar to the previous night’s game against the Pistons, the Raptors came out of halftime with newfound purpose and energy. Poeltl scored 8 of Toronto’s 14 points in the first four minutes of the third quarter, helping build the Raptors’ biggest lead of the night, 68-61. Boston’s Head Coach, Joe Mazzulla, had words for Big Jak.

The teams traded the lead several times throughout the third quarter with Boston holding the slimmest of leads, 86-85, heading into the fourth.

If you were to judge the two teams based solely on tonight’s performance, and without knowing what their respective records were, it would be shocking to find out Toronto was 2-11.

Boston and Toronto continued exchanging the lead like a game of hot potato. After Al Horford — yes, he’s still somehow playing crunch time minutes of the defending champs — hit a three to give the Celtics a 2-point lead with under two minutes to play. Dick tied the game with a jumper from the elbow, despite excellent defense by Derrick White.

With the game tied at 114, the Raptors had a chance to steal a win in Boston. Poeltl found himself in his sweet spot in the paint and a “smaller” defender (Tatum) guarding him. Tatum successfully “pulled the rug from under Poeltl, forcing the big man to fall and lose the ball out-of-bounds. With only 22 seconds remaining, Boston could essentially hold the ball for the last shot. Tatum was defended very closely (again) and missed a potential game-winning buzzer-beater. FREE BASKETBALL. WE’RE GOING TO OVERTIME!

Toronto was clinging to a 1-point lead when Jaylen Brown hit his second triple of overtime and giving the host a 2-point lead. Barrett answered with a driving layup of his own. RJ would later have a chance to win the game. With under 30 seconds remaining, Barrett created space on the perimeter and took to the hole for a potential winner. However, Brown recovered enough to alter the layup attempt while Neemias Queta slid over to block the shot. Boston recovered the loose ball and with 22 seconds remaining,

The play design appeared to be for Brown to receive a pass from Tatum, but Jaylen’s flop attempt (which worked earlier) was not whistled. Tatum improvised and took a stepback three. Game. Celtics.

After the game, Tatum was asked about the game-winner. especially considering what happened earlier in the game when he missed at the end of regulation.

“I got a lot of problems in life,” Tatum said. “Confidence has never been one of them.”

“I worked too hard at my craft. I’ve played too much basketball to ever doubt the next shot. Whether it’s an in-and-out miss or I miss the entire rim, I know what I’m capable of and you always believe the next one is going in. I know what I’m capable of and always believe that the next one is going in.”

With another Raps-Celts game in the books, Toronto now turns its attention to Indiana on Tuesday. Toronto’s two victories have come against Kyle Lowry’s Sixers and DeMar DeRozan’s Kings. Will a date with Pascal Siakam and the Pacers lead to continued success for Toronto?