Celtics annihilate Raptors in Game 5, push defending NBA champs to the brink

The Boston Celtics pushed the Toronto Raptors to the brink of elimination with a Game 5 massacre.

To start their second-round playoff series in the East, the Boston Celtics convincingly took the first two games. Then, the Toronto Raptors struck back by eking out a Game 3 win in the last 0.5 seconds before tying up the series in commanding fashion in Game 4.

As such, nobody knew exactly what to expect from an incredibly important Game 5. In NBA history, teams that win Game 5 when the series was tied 2-2 have gone on to win the series 82 percent of the time. On Monday, the 2-3 matchup reverted back to what we’ve seen for most of the series, with the Celtics being the decidedly better team.

In a Labor Day rout that was all but settled by the end of the first quarter, the Celtics took a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals, pulling Brad Stevens’ squad within one win of the conference finals and pushing the defending NBA champs to the brink of elimination.

It was a complete team win for Boston, which saw six players finish with at least 12 points. While the 3-point battle was relatively even, Toronto’s poor shooting — 38.8 percent from the field and 30 percent from 3-point range — ultimately held them back from ever getting within striking distance.

What else did you miss in Game 5 between the Raptors and Celtics?

Turning point: First-quarter dominance

Blame it on the Raptors’ shooting struggles, the Celtics’ defensive focus or the dreaded Labor Day hangover, but whatever the case, Game 5 was all but decided in the opening 12 minutes. Boston had plenty of time to come back after falling behind by double figures so early, but the glaring disparity in shooting, defense and all-around effort between these two teams that was evident in the first quarter held up for the rest of the game.

In a quarter that saw Toronto shoot 4-for-20 from the floor and 1-for-9 from 3-point range while committing six turnovers, Boston found itself ahead 25-11 heading into the second quarter. The rout was fully on at that point, as the Celtics outscored the Raptors 37-24 in the second quarter to take an insurmountable 62-35 lead into the break.

The defending champs shot 13-for-43 (30.2 percent) from the field and 4-for-18 (22.2 percent) from long range in the first half, but after those disheartening first 12 minutes, the tone had already been set for the rest of Game 5. At no point after that was the final result ever in doubt.

Meme-able moment: Brown posterizes Anunoby

Jaylen Brown’s levitation special over OG Anunoby’s head was emblematic of Game 5 in one highlight:

MVP: Jaylen Brown

There’s no way around it: Jaylen Brown absolutely stunk in Game 4. While he scored 14 points, they came on an abysmal 4-of-18 shooting performance, including 2-of-11 from 3-point range. It was no wonder he finished as a team-worst minus-14.

For a guy who has been excellent for the Celtics since the team arrived in Orlando, it was critical that he bounced back in Game 5, especially with momentum up for grabs for the rest of the series. Brown rose to the occasion in a big way on Monday, finishing his evening with a team-high 27 points and 6 rebounds on 10-of-18 shooting, including 3-of-7 from deep.

Brown contributed 16 points in Boston’s first-half surge that essentially put the game away early, and after such a troubling Game 4 performance, it was reassuring to see him respond at such a critical juncture in the series.