On Friday night, Jaylen Brown showcased an outstanding performance, contributing 31 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, guiding the Boston Celtics to a narrow 120-118 victory over the Toronto Raptors. This triumph further solidified the Celtics’ impeccable 16-0 home record for the season.

In a tense moment with Toronto trailing by three, Pascal Siakam of the Raptors was fouled with only 1.4 seconds remaining. He successfully converted the first free throw but intentionally missed the second, hoping for an offensive rebound. Unfortunately for the Raptors, they couldn’t secure the board.

Derrick White played a pivotal role for the Celtics, recording 21 points, five rebounds, and seven assists, contributing to the team’s fifth consecutive win. Luke Kornet and Jrue Holiday added 20 and 15 points, respectively, enhancing Boston’s overall performance.

Despite a 13-point deficit after three quarters, Toronto made a strong comeback in the fourth, scoring 18 of the first 21 points. Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with an impressive 30 points and 10 rebounds, while Siakam contributed 27 points, and Jakob Poeltl posted 12 points and 10 rebounds.

The game reached a critical moment when Barnes tied the score at 116-116 with a 3-pointer, but the Celtics reclaimed the lead with a Kornet dunk, securing a 118-116 advantage with 32.6 seconds remaining.

Notably, the Celtics played without key players Al Horford (rest), Kristaps Porzingis (calf), and Jayson Tatum (ankle), who leads the team in both scoring (27.0) and rebounding (8.4). Despite these absences, Boston displayed resilience and dominance.

The Celtics asserted their dominance early in the game, initiating a 20-4 run, highlighted by three consecutive 3-pointers from Brown. Boston finished the first quarter with a commanding 35-20 lead. By halftime, they extended their advantage to 68-53, hitting 55 percent of their 3-point attempts.

Although the Raptors managed to narrow the deficit to nine points in the third quarter, they ultimately fell short, trailing 99-86 with 12 minutes left in the game. The Celtics’ proficiency, particularly in 3-point shooting, played a crucial role in securing another impressive victory.