Brown’s burst in the fourth closes the door on Toronto

The game is hanging in the balance midway through the fourth, the score still within reach, when Jaylen Brown blows it open with the kind of two-way sequence that tilts a night. First comes the steal. Then the runway. Then the dunk. In a matter of seconds, Boston goes from managing a slim cushion to slamming the door on Toronto, turning a tense mid-game fight into a 115-101 Celtics win at TD Garden.

For three quarters, this never feels like a runaway. Toronto answers Boston early, and the first half is a real back-and-forth, with 12 lead changes and both teams landing clean counters. The opening quarter ends 26-26, and the Raptors even seize the momentum with a 10-0 burst late in the first. J. Shead drills a three to finish that run, giving Toronto a 24-22 edge after Boston had controlled the first stretch. Then Toronto keeps pressing in the second, with C. Murray-Boyles slicing to the rim for a cutting dunk to cap another 10-0 spurt and push the Raptors ahead 38-30. Boston doesn’t blink, though. Brown gets downhill with a driving layup to fuel an 8-0 run that ties things back up at 38-38, and the Celtics eventually edge to a 54-46 halftime lead.

Toronto still refuses to go away after the break. The Raptors keep attacking the paint, keep moving the ball, and keep making Boston work. The third quarter stays tight, and by the time the period ends, the Celtics’ lead is only 80-77. That’s the story for much of the night: Toronto has enough shot-making and enough burst to keep the home crowd uneasy, while Boston just has enough of a counterpunch to stay in front. Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, and the Raptors’ young wings keep the pressure on, and Barrett’s running layup early in the game is part of the way Toronto keeps the scoreboard honest.

Then the fourth quarter arrives, and Boston’s stars finally separate themselves from the pack. Jayson Tatum sets the tone by extending possessions, rebounding, and making the right reads; his line ends at 23 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists, and it shows up in the flow of the offense. At 3:26, Tatum is already finishing on the move with a running layup to make it 109-93, and the game feels like it’s slipping away from Toronto. A few possessions later, Derrick White buries a fadeaway jumper off a Pritchard assist, Brown picks off a pass, and then Brown turns that turnover into the backbreaking running dunk at 2:36. That sequence is the turning point. It’s not just a bucket; it’s a statement that Boston can win the possession battle and the pace battle at the same time.

Brown finishes with 26 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists on 55 percent shooting, but the numbers only tell part of the story. He’s relentless getting to the rim, active in the passing lanes, and decisive when Toronto starts to sag. Boston also gets timely support from White and a defense that tightens at the exact right moment. The Celtics stack steals late, Brown gets another one at 1:54, and Sam Hauser’s assist work helps keep the offense flowing. Toronto does answer with a couple of late flash plays — Barrett’s turnaround hook and running dunk, plus Scottie Barnes getting involved as a playmaker and scorer — but by then the margin is too large and Boston is too locked in.

For Toronto, there’s plenty to like in the competitiveness, especially in how long they stayed attached on the road. But the Raptors couldn’t survive the Celtics’ fourth-quarter shot creation and defensive pressure. For Boston, this is exactly the kind of win that matters as the stretch run tightens: steady through the first three quarters, then sharp, physical, and ruthless when the game is there to be taken. With the victory, the Celtics keep building momentum and reinforce how dangerous they can be when both Brown and Tatum are dictating the game on both ends.