3 biggest play-in tournament threats Toronto Raptors could face

2. Boston Celtics

The Celtics might be ahead of the Raptors, but the idea of one or more play-in teams getting hot and forcing these two into a 7-8 matchup can’t be ruled out as a potential outcome. If that happens, Toronto will need to figure out how to solve one of the league’s best defenses.

While Toronto beat Boston by 32 points in a dominant road win during the second game of the season, the Celtics regrouped. Ime Udoka took the Raptors down twice in a row. If Jayson Tatum is cooking and Robert Williams is blocking shots, Toronto could find it tough to overcome this squad. 

The new-look Celtics could give the Toronto Raptors problems.

While the Raptors have done a generally solid job at containing Tatum in games where Jaylen Brown hasn’t played, slowing down the rest of Boston’s depth hasn’t been as fruitful. Al Horford had a big day against them in their last meeting, and the additions of Derrick White and Daniel Theis made the bench stronger.

With Toronto’s health starting to come into question due to Fred VanVleet’s knee injury and OG Anunoby’s fractured finger, bench players forced into expanded roles are continuing to be exposed. If these issues are not corrected, the Celtics may head into any conflict with Toronto full of confidence and momentum.