Undermanned Raptors put up valiant fight, but succumb to host Celtics

Severely undermanned knowing their two best players were unavailable and a third starter yet again sidelined, the Raptors closed out the opening quarter Friday night in Boston with the most unlikely group featuring Jamal Shead, Ja’Kobe, Jonathan Mogbo, Jamison Battle and Alijah Martin.

With all due respect to the aforementioned five, the unit did sum up the daunting challenge the visitors faced against a Celtics team Toronto has experienced considerable misery in recent years.

The Raptors enter the night with momentum having beaten the host Charlotte Hornets Wednesday night on Immanuel Quickley’s buzzer beater.

IQ came off a Scottie Barnes screen on the fateful three-pointer, though the Hornets could not have defended the sequence more poorly.

Barnes persevered through a knee setback in Charlotte, but was a no-go in Beantown.

Ditto Brandon Ingram, who is nursing a thumb injury.

Friday marked the first time both Barnes and Ingram were unavailable.

Toss in Jakob Poeltl’s continued battle with a back issue and the inevitable concerns of where the Raptors would generate their offence and how competitive they would be against a Celtics team that had already beaten Toronto twice this season were raised.

Not unexpectedly, the Raptors put up a valiant fight, but the outcome was all but assured given the cards Toronto had been dealt.

Boston’s three-point shooting allowed the C’s to lead by as many as 12 points as Toronto trailed 68-60.

Toronto did briefly lead on a RJ Barrett three-pointer with 6:38 remaining in the first half.

In the second half, Boston led by as many as 20 points.

Barrett did leave with 4:41 remaining in the game when he turned his left ankle on a drive.

Once he gathered himself, Barrett left on his own and headed straight to the team’s locker room. He would not return.

Barrett missed 15 games because of a right knee injury.

With Barrett unavailable down the stretch Friday, the Raptors were missing their three primary scorers.

In terms of moral victories, the Raptors earned one, for what that’s worth.

In terms of an actual victory, Boston was deserving of its 125-117 win.

The following are three takeaways on a night the Raptors lost their third game of the season to the Celtics, a night Toronto’s record dropped to 23-16, while Boston improved its record to 24-13.

1. IQ-RJ Duo

In the absence of Ingram and Barnes, Quickley and Barrett immediately became the Raptors’ best players.

Barrett played well in Charlotte, but his best moments came when matched up against inexperienced or small defenders, allowing him to crush the Bugs similar to the way Barnes often abuses undersized defenders near the basket.

Quickley struggled with his jumper Wednesday, but he launched the buzzer beater with confidence.

In Boston, he was aggressive because he had no other choice.

IQ started strongly by making his jumps while protecting the basketball when he turned into a facilitator.

Barrett was equally aggressive right up to the point where he took himself out of the game.

On his way to the locker room, Barrett received a pat on the back from GM Bobby Webster.

2. CMB-Ware

With the benefit of hindsight, which isn’t necessarily a good exercise, Collin Murray-Boyles should have started for the many games Poeltl missed.

The rookie looked out of his element in his NBA debut, but he has clearly shown that he belongs.

Size doesn’t seem to bother him because CMB never backs down from a challenge.

When he has faced a taller matchup, CMB is physical and fearless.

Sandro Mamukelashvili isn’t as physical and nor is he a better defender as CMB.

It does make one wonder why Mamukelashvili started over the rookie in Poeltl’s absence.

Against the Celtics, both started, almost by default but also because of necessity.

CMB did flush home a thunderous left-handed dunk, but it was produced against a much smaller Payton Pritchard.

Still, it did showcase the rookie’s explosiveness in the open floor.

3. Mo Needs More Time

No one can say with any certainty what Jonathan Mogbo’s ceiling is.

However, one can say with absolute certainty that Mogbo brings more to the floor than Mo Bamba.

The two were on opposite teams at the G League Winter Showcase final.

Mogbo, it seems, has been up and down from the main club to the Raptors’ G League affiliate more often than he has attempted field goals.

He was the first off Toronto’s bench Friday night as head coach Darko Rajakovic tried to find some kind of bench unit that would work.

Six reserves saw minutes, but one of them was not named Ochai Agbaji, who did not see the floor.

Mogbo is far from a finished product, but he runs the floor well and will finish in transition.

He does remain an intriguing prospect.

The issue involves finding ways to get Mogbo minutes and to put him in position where he can excel.

Shead, meanwhile, found that proper balance where he looked to score and also looked to find his teammates.

Toronto’s second unit did end the third quarter on a 10-2 run as the Raptors cut into Boston’s lead.

The Raptors scored the first basket in the fourth quarter to cut Boston’s advantage into single digits.

Martin looked very comfortable when open looks were created.

The same could be said for Walter, who showed no hesitation when heaving shots from distance.

Up Next

Back-to-back home tips against the Philadelphia 76ers is on tap for the Raptors, who capped off a recent 4-1 homestand with consecutive wins over the Atlanta Hawks played during a three-day span; Toronto went 1-1 during its two previous trips to Philly; Tyrese Maxie has quickly emerged as Philly’s best player and among the very best in the Eastern Conference; Maxie and Quickley were collegiate teammates in Kentucky.

fzicarelli@postmedia.com