NBA Playoffs: Boston Celtics vs Toronto Raptors Game 2 Injury Updates, Lineup and Predictions

The Eastern Conference drama ensues as the Boston Celtics take on the Toronto Raptors tonight. After winning Game 1 of the second round of the playoffs, the Celtics will be in high spirits. Despite being the higher seed, the Raptors got outclassed. Prior to Game 1, the Raptors were the favorites to come out of the East. But now the Celtics have posed a serious threat.

Heading into Game 2, they don’t have any major injuries. They will be without youngsters Oshae Brissett and Patrick McCaw. So the Raptors will return with an unchanged line-up of Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet as the guards, OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam as the forwards, and Marc Gasol as the center.

Will the Boston Celtics pull off a second upset win?

The Celtics comfortably beat the Raptors in Game 1 after an excellent shooting night from the three-point line. They shot 43% as a team and also made 17/21 from the charity stripe. But the most surprising thing was the Celtics out-rebounding the Raptors. Averaging 51 rebounds per game against the Nets, the Raptors only had 40 in Game 1, while allowing the Celtics to get 50 rebounds.

Like the Raptors, the Celtics aren’t facing any major injuries. Only Tremont Waters is on the injury report and is listed as a game-time decision. So the Celtics will have a lineup of Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart as the guards, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum as the forwards, and Daniel Theis as the center.

The Raptors’ poor shooting was one of the major reasons they lost the last time. They shot just 25% from beyond the arc. They were shooting over 40% against the Nets and will have to get back to that form to stand a chance. Being a team that prides in their defense, the Raptors will have to improve in Game 2.

The Celtics may have the momentum, but the Raptors will be expected to come back with a win. They have a deeper roster and are not reliant on just three players for their offense. It was a rare bad game for them, and they will definitely come back stronger to level the series. Nick Nurse’s men have looked like defending champions throughout the season, and they will not bow out so easily.