Toronto Raptors vs Boston Celtics Prediction & Match Preview - October 9th, 2021 | NBA Preseason 2021-22
The Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics will face off in an NBA 2021-22 preseason game at TD Garden on Saturday.
The Raptors have lost one of their two preseason matches so far. Meanwhile, the Celtics defeated the Orlando Magic 98-97 during their preseason opener.
Both teams will be looking to try out different rotations and get their stars warmed up and ready to go before the regular season commences.
Match Details
Fixture: Toronto Raptors vs Boston Celtics | NBA Preseason 2021-22
Date & Time: Saturday, October 9th; 7:00 PM ET (Sunday, October 10th; 4:30 AM IST).
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Toronto Raptors Preview
After Kawhi Leonard's championship run, the Toronto Raptors' plummet from glory has been exacerbated by veteran Kyle Lowry's departure this season.
The young and exciting Raptors have managed to shoot around 50% from the floor in both their preseason games thus far. Both games were played against the Philadelphia 76ers. In the latest bout, seven players ended up with double-digit figures in scoring.
The Boy always in his bag https://t.co/7dMIFGLDQ5
Precious Achiuwa and Goran Dragic are still getting their feet set, while OG Anunoby and Fred VanVleet continue to take care of business as usual.
Key Player - OG Anunoby
Coming off a career year with 16 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game for the Toronto Raptors, OG Anunoby looks all set to make the next leap. Considering the exodus of veteran talent and the void it has created, this might be his breakout year.
OG dropped 20+ points in each of the Toronto Raptors' previous preseason games, shooting over 50% from the field. In the most recent matchup, the 24-year-old recorded four steals in just 30 minutes of on-court action.
Toronto Raptors Predicted Lineup
G - Fred VanVleet; G - Goran Dragic; F - Scottie Barnes; F - OG Anunoby; C - Precious Achiuwa
Boston Celtics Preview
The Boston Celtics had a change of front-office personnel this past offseason and are looking to take a big step forward this year. With Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown well into their primes, the time is right for the Cs to pull the trigger on their championship hopes.
The offense and defense moved smoothly during their first preseason game against the Orlando Magic. The game saw Brown drop 25 points in 26 minutes to lead his team to victory.
Have fun guarding Jayson Tatum when he faces up like this. (via @celtics) https://t.co/EzxP0TwdxC
This season, the Boston Celtics will be looking to better their 36-36 (0.500) win-loss record from the previous campaign and make a legitimate ECF push.
Key Player - Jayson Tatum
After playing and starting in 64 games last season, Jayson Tatum finished with 26.4 points, 7.4 boards and 4.3 assists per game. The 23-year-old has quickly become the Boston Celtics' franchise cornerstone, and deservedly so.
Tatum stretched his basketball muscles with 25 minutes of action in the Celtics' first preseason game. He finished the game with 18 points and nine rebounds.
Tatum has been shooting over 45% from the field consistently over the past three seasons, and we expect him to make a splash on the charts again this year.
Boston Celtics Predicted Lineup
G - Jaylen Brown; G - Marcus Smart; F - Jayson Tatum; F - Juancho Hernangomez; C - Robert Williams III
Raptors vs Celtics Match Prediction
The Boston Celtics will be deploying their regular-season starting five and trying out Al Horford and Enes Kanter off the bench on Saturday. This could be lethal for the Toronto Raptors.
Expect an easy win for the Boston Celtics but a respectable effort from the Toronto Raptors' squad.
Where to watch Raptors vs Celtics
The NBA preseason game between the Toronto Raptors and the Boston Celtics will be televised locally on NBC Sports Boston and TSN2. You can also live-stream this matchup via the NBA League Pass.