NBA Playoffs 2020: The Celtics dominate Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead over the Raptors

After surrendering a 2-0 lead, the Boston Celtics are back in control of their second-round series against the Toronto Raptors. The Celtics lost Games 3 and 4 to a resurging Raptor team who fought valiantly to tie the series. However, the Celtics bounced back in a major way on Monday night, dominating Game 5 from start to finish to take a 111-89 win, and a 3-2 series lead.

Boston didn’t give the Raptors any breathing space and led from start to finish and set the tone early by holding the Raptors to just 11 points in the first quarter.

They were dominant on both ends of the floor and in the second half and led by as much as 30 points at one time.

Watch the Game highlights below…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4PevgcVJBo

Jaylen Brown gave a show after recovering from a dismal Game 4 performance to lead the way with 27 points and six rebounds, and all five starters scored in double figures.

The Raptors were unable to recover after getting off to a miserable start in Game 5. Their 11 first-quarter points tied a franchise record for second-fewest points in any playoff quarter and were poor on the defensive end.

Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam would like to forget the night quickly as both struggled mightily, combining for only 20 points.

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The Celtics had finished the regular season as one of the best defensive teams, fourth with a defensive rating of 104.6. Their defensive prowess was on full display in Game 5, locking down the Raptors all game long to secure a vital win and take control of the series.

Toronto Raptors took two and a half minutes to get on the board, which foretold how the rest of the game would play out.

They were held to 11 points in the entire first quarter, which tied a record for second-fewest points in any quarter in franchise playoff history.

For the game, the Raptors missed a large chunk of shots and only shot 38.8 per cent from the field, 30 per cent from the 3-point line, and turned the ball over 13 times.

The Celtics generally made life extremely difficult for the Raptors as they fought through screens and kept the Raptors’ guards in front of them, contesting shots both inside and outside.