Toronto Raptors of Canada youngster, OG Anunoby nailed a go-ahead three-pointer with 57.5 seconds left in double overtime to help his side survive palpable elimination held from USA’s National Basketball Association (NBA), as they beat Boston Celtics 125-122 on Wednesday night to force Game 7 in their Eastern Conference semi-final series, megasportsarena.com reports.
Six Raptors players netted in double figures, led by Kyle Lowry with 33 points. Powell had 23 and Fred VanVleet 21, as Jaylen Brown had 31 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Celtics, and Marcus Smart had 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in his second career triple-double; Norman Powell completed a three-point play for a four-point lead with 38.8 ticks remaining and added two more from the line in the final five seconds as Toronto held off a late Boston push.
Jayson Tatum (29 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists) fell an assist short of his first triple-double. Kemba Walker scored just five points on 2-of-11 shooting; and Tatum hit a three-pointer to get Boston within one with 6.2 seconds left in the second overtime. After Powell’s two free throws, Smart missed a chance at a game-tying triple with 1.5 seconds to go.
The Raptors led 106-104 in the first overtime before Lowry fouled Brown with 18.9 seconds remaining. Brown made both free throws, and Powell missed a three-pointer with a second left as the game continued.
Down by seven early in the fourth quarter, the Celtics rode a 12-4 spurt to an 89-88 lead. Lowry answered with a pair from deep, and the Raptors led 94-89 with 6:20 remaining. Daniel Theis’ bucket and subsequent dunk tied the game at 98 with two minutes left.
The score held until overtime, with Walker and Pascal Siakam missing chances at game-winners in the final 4 four seconds of regulationp; VanVleet nailed three free throws and a pair of three-pointers unanswered as the Raptors surged ahead 67-62 with 6:58 left in the third quarter. Toronto hadn’t led since 11:01 of the first prior to the stretch. The Raptors ended the third up 81-77.
Game 7 will take place in the early hours of Saturday morning (2am). The winner will advance to face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.
