Raptors, Celtics prep for playoffs

(SportsNetwork.com) - A pair of Atlantic Division foes headed to the playoffs tangle Tuesday at TD Garden, as the Boston Celtics host the Toronto Raptors.

The Atlantic-champion Raptors are fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, one-half game behind the Chicago Bulls, and the Celtics sit seventh - one game ahead of the Indiana Pacers.

Toronto has won three in a row and six of its last eight games, including Saturday's 107-104 victory over the Miami Heat. Lou Williams led the charge with 29 points off the bench, DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points and Kyle Lowry finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, three steals and one assist.

"I thought we met their physicality going down the stretch and that was big," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said.

Toronto, which has clinched home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, had only seven turnovers and shot 42 percent from the floor.

The Raptors are 3-0 on a four-game road trip and 22-18 away from home. They will close the regular season Wednesday versus the Charlotte Hornets.

Toronto also tied the team record for victories in a season (48) and the record for most road wins (22), both set last season.

Williams is a Sixth Man of the Year candidate and is averaging 18.8 points per game in his last 11 contests. DeRozan is posting an average of 27.7 ppg in his previous seven games.

Meanwhile, Boston will shoot for a fifth straight win Tuesday and is coming off a 117-78 triumph over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. The Cavs did not have LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love or J.R. Smith in the lineup.

The Celtics took advantage of the short-handed Cavs and scored a 34-9 difference in the second quarter. Isaiah Thomas led seven players in double figures with 17 points, Evan Turner added 15 to go with seven rebounds and five assists, and Avery Bradley netted 12 points.

Jared Sullinger (11), Tyler Zeller (10), Kelly Olynyk (10) and Jonas Jerebko (10) rounded out the double-digit scorers for Boston, which shot 55 percent for the game and turned 25 Cleveland turnovers into 36 points. The Celtics also tallied 20 steals.

"Our guys just played very maturely the whole game," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "I thought we played well, but, obviously, they didn't play their best players."

Boston, which has won six of seven games and will visit Milwaukee Wednesday, clinched a playoff berth after Brooklyn lost to Chicago Monday night.

The Celtics are 1-2 against the Raptors this season and have lost six of the last eight meetings between the teams. Toronto has won two straight in Boston.