Celtics coach Brad Stevens didn’t bask in Friday’s 122-100 rout of the Raptors, saying that the win “won’t mean anything” come playoff time.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Boston Celtics might have played their best game of the 2019-20 season Friday, beating the Toronto Raptors 122-100 in a result that was even more lopsided than the final score would indicate. But afterward, Celtics coach Brad Stevens wasn’t about to take any victory laps, not with a potential rematch with Toronto looming in a few weeks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. “This game will mean nothing if we get that opportunity again,” Stevens said. “They’re a really good team. And I thought they missed a lot of open looks and just wasn’t their night. “I thought our guys played well, though. But it won’t mean anything in a couple of weeks.” It might not. But Boston’s victory means the Celtics won the season series 3-1 against their Atlantic Division rivals, and puts down a marker ahead of what would be truly fascinating series between these two teams if they do manage to meet in the East playoffs. Toronto will not want any of those games to look remotely like this one, as the Raptors — who had won their previous four games inside the NBA’s bubble at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex — were resoundingly throttled by the Celtics from start to finish.
