The Toronto Raptors survived an overtime thriller vs the Boston Celtics (112-115) and made another step towards the playoffs.
Gary Trent Jr. sealed the deal for the winners with a pair of free throws, with 14 seconds remaining. Boston had the chance to force double overtime, but missed a couple of three-pointers in the final play.
Pascal Siakam led all scorers with 40 points (on 17/29 shooting). Five more Raptors players scored in double figures.
On the other hand, Marcus Smart had a team-high 28 points for Boston, which saw six more players end the game in double digits.
At the end of regulation, Siakam tied the game and forced an overtime (106-106), as the Celtics turned the ball over in the final play.
Toronto and Boston split the season series (2-2) and now have their sights set on the remaining regular season games.
The Raptors maintained their momentum and extended their winning streak to three games. Toronto has now won nine of its last 11, remaining sixth in the East and tied with fifth-placed Chicago Bulls (43-32).
On the contrary, Boston saw its six-game winning streak come to an end and dropped to 47-29. However, they are just one game below conference leaders Miami Heat (48-28).
Despite their defeat, the Celtics have emerged as legit title contenders, thanks to their impressive run in the second part of the season. More specifically, since January 7 (18-21), the franchise has won 29 of its 38 games.
On Wednesday, the Celtics return home to take on the Heat in a clash between East leaders. For their part, the Raptors will host the Minnesota Timberwolves. Toronto has five of its remaining seven games at home.
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