The Boston Celtics suffered a narrow 119-118 loss to the Toronto Raptors in their final preseason game. Despite a late rally, Jordan Walsh missed a game-winning layup as time expired. Jayson Tatum scored 24 points and Derrick White added 23 for the Celtics. Gradey Dick led the Raptors with 27 points, while Scottie Barnes almost had a triple-double with 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists.
Al Horford looked rusty in his preseason debut, struggling with his shooting and rebounding. Coach Joe Mazzulla experimented with different lineup combinations, emphasizing double big lineups with Horford, Xavier Tillman, Luke Kornet, and Neemias Queta. Lonnie Walker did not see any action in the game despite a strong showing earlier in the preseason.
The Celtics finished the preseason with a 4-1 record, while the Raptors improved to 2-2. Mazzulla used the game to test his rotations and give playing time to different lineups. While some key players like Jrue Holiday and Sam Hauser were rested, the Celtics saw solid performances from their starters and bench players. Boston will now prepare for the regular season, with a focus on improving their rebounding and fine-tuning their rotations.
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