How will Boston respond after a disappointing loss?
The Celtics were riding high after a strong December and wins in their first three games of 2026. That momentum came to an abrupt halt Wednesday night with a 114-110 loss to the Denver Nuggets.
Losing to one of the Western Conference’s top teams is usually not cause for concern, but this defeat raised eyebrows. Denver was without several of its top players, making the loss more surprising.
Hopefully Boston will use this loss as a lesson that even though the opposition was missing key players, the people stepping into their shoes are playing for future playing time so they’re always going to give more effort as they’re trying to make a name for themselves. I’m sure Joe Mazzulla preached that they can’t take any opponents lightly and will be looking for a response against the Toronto Raptors.
Can Boston remain unbeaten against the Raptors?
Friday’s game marks the third meeting between Boston and Toronto this season, with the Celtics winning the first two.
The teams first met Dec. 7 in Toronto, where Boston earned a 121-113 victory. The Celtics built a 23-point lead before the Raptors mounted a late run. Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 30 points, while Derrick White provided a major offensive boost with 27 points and six three-pointers.
That win extended Boston’s winning streak to five games and moved the Celtics into third place in the Eastern Conference standings.
The second meeting came Dec. 20, also in Toronto. Boston overcame a combined 49 points from Brandon Ingram and Sandro Mamukelashvili despite playing without Brown. Toronto was missing RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl.
Payton Pritchard stepped into a larger offensive role, finishing with 33 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.
Rookie Hugo Gonzalez had one of the best performances of his young career, posting a team-high plus-37. He recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, along with two steals.
Can Boston slow down Toronto’s offense?
Toronto features significant offensive firepower. Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Poeltl all present scoring threats across the floor.
Ingram leads the team at 22.2 points per game, with Barrett (19.2), Barnes (19.1) and Quickley (16.2) close behind. Any of the four can emerge as the leading scorer on any given night, making defensive consistency critical for Boston.
With scoring threats at every position, Boston’s wing defenders will play a key role. Gonzalez, Sam Hauser, Brown and Jordan Walsh will need strong defensive performances if the Celtics hope to move to 3-0 against Toronto this season.
The Raptors enter the matchup having won five of their last six games, including a victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.
