BOSTON — The Celtics’ preseason slate continues to go smoothly as it hasn’t mattered who’s wearing the jersey. The C’s put together another preseason victory, this time 115-111 over the Raptors on Sunday at TD Garden. Despite it being a cast of bench players — no C’s starters played — the depth guys still put together an impressive effort.
The Raptors didn’t play all their main players, but they did trot out some of their starters. On the flip side, the Celtics starters all sat Sunday after a solid showing the night before in the blowout win over the 76ers. The C’s were all over the Raptors from tipoff, building up a 41-20 lead after the first quarter.
The Celtics kept up the pressure from there as the bench guys got plenty of action with their lead peaking at 34 points. The Raptors did threaten to cut into the score in the fourth quarter into a single-digit deficit, but the bench guys did enough to maintain the lead. The C’s are now a perfect 4-0 in the preseason, which includes two wins over the Nuggets in Abu Dhabi.
Boston gets one final preseason game before the regular season, set for 7 p.m. Tuesday in Toronto against the Raptors. Expect more regulars to play, including Al Horford. Here are four takeaways from Boston’s win over Toronto:
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Regular season ready: It’s not the first time Payton Pritchard has made the preseason his own stage. The guard was all over the place Sunday, finishing with 24 minutes, putting up 19 points, five rebounds and nine assists. After a stellar season last year where he established his spot in the rotation, the 26-year-old is playing well ahead of the regular season. Neemias Queta also filled up the box score, finishing with 12 points, 15 rebounds and five assists Sunday.
Solid preseason continues: Jordan Walsh raised some eyebrows over Summer League because of his struggles. But those Vegas memories feel like a distant memory compared to Walsh’s play in the preseason. The 20-year-old forward likely won’t be part of the C’s rotation this season, but it’s clear why the team took him 38th overall in last year’s draft. Walsh put up 16 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 6-for-12 from the floor in 30 minutes as there was a lot to like from the forward. He can still bulk up to be more physical on both ends of the court, but the framework of a future contributor is certainly there.
Getting more run: Lonnie Walker IV admitted he hasn’t played much with the second-unit bench group in practices, but he got more of that opportunity Sunday. Walker, the Celtics’ roster hopeful, got the start alongside the rostered guys. Plus, he continued to put up some solid contributions, scoring 20 points on 8-for-15 shooting. Walker’s situation is unique as he’s on an Exhibit 10 contract and doesn’t have a guaranteed contract. But the seventh-year pro has shown some solid play as he continues his push for a roster spot.
Final tune-up: The Celtics have only one more preseason game, they then have a week before the start of the regular season. So it’s no surprise the starters are expected to get some work Tuesday in Toronto. Horford is expected to get his first taste of preseason action after sitting the first four games. The Celtics have hummed along through the opening games, so they’ll look to finish strong Tuesday. Regardless, the C’s don’t have to work through too many kinks as they boast impressive continuity when it comes to the roster.
