Kyle Lowry scored 33 points (18 on 6 3-pointers), and the defending champion Toronto Raptors beat the Boston Celtics 125-122 in double overtime to force Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
It was tied 98-98 at the end of regulation and 106-106 after the first overtime.
The Celtics had the ball down 1 with 57 seconds left, but Norman Powell stole the ball from Jayson Tatum, lifting the Raptors’ chance to win from 51% to 57%. A basket would have put the Celtics ahead.
Powell’s driving layup with 38.8 seconds left in the second overtime made it 120-117.
During clutch time, the Raptors outscored the Celtics 29-28. Powell scored 15 of the Raptors’ 29 on 3 for 4 shooting and 7 for 7 at the line. In the fourth quarter and overtime, Kemba Walker had 5 of his 7 assists, 3 of them on baskets by Daniel Theis and Marcus Smart that put the Celtics ahead. In that stretch, Powell had 2 steals, both with the game within five points, and the Raptors scored 3 points off them. With 4:42 left in the second overtime, Jaylen Brown stole the ball from Pascal Siakam, and Tatum’s driving dunk off it put the Celtics ahead 108-106.
Powell scored 23 points off the bench, and Fred VanVleet added 21 points (12 in the third quarter), 9 rebounds and 7 assists but shot 7 for 22. The Raptors had 3 20-point scorers.
For the Celtics, Brown had 31 points and 16 rebounds, and Tatum added 29 points, 14 rebounds and 9 assists. Smart had 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. The Celtics had 3 20-point scorers.
The Celtics forced 13 turnovers, about 4 fewer than usual for this many possessions. The Raptors outscored the Celtics 38-16 off the bench.