Raptors' Siakam hails 'team win' over Celtics

TORONTO • Having been sidelined for several months last year after undergoing shoulder surgery, Pascal Siakam was eager to give it his all this National Basketball Association (NBA) season.

On Monday, he poured in a season-best 40 points as the Toronto Raptors snapped the Boston Celtics' six-game win streak with a 115-112 overtime home win.

Siakam and the Raptors took advantage of a depleted Celtics line-up to grab a crucial victory that boosts Toronto's hopes of securing an automatic post-season berth.

The win moves them level with the Chicago Bulls on 43 wins and 32 losses in the East, just ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers (42-33), who are one place outside the automatic play-off spots in seventh.

"It was a great team win," said Siakam, who is averaging 22.5 points this campaign.

"It's been a long road, so I'm excited about just getting back to the grind and working hard, just playing with everything I've got.

"We're a team. We have a next-man-up mentality, just go out there and win the game."

The Celtics have been the form team in the NBA recently, motoring to 11 wins in their last 12 games before Monday's clash.

But Boston were jolted earlier on Monday by confirmation that centre Robert Williams III faces a lengthy layoff with a knee injury, while Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum were also sidelined.

That cleared the way for Siakam to take over at Toronto's ScotiaBank Arena with a 40-point display as well as 13 rebounds, three steals and two blocks.

Fred VanVleet and O. G. Anunoby added 14 points each while Thaddeus Young and Gary Trent Jr had 12 apiece.

Marcus Smart led the Celtics scorers with 28 points, while Grant Williams finished with 17 as the team dropped to 47-29.

Boston's loss means Miami (48-28) reclaimed top spot in the East with a 123-100 victory over the Sacramento Kings in Florida.

Jimmy Butler finished with 27 points and seven assists while Bam Adebayo added 22 points and hauled in 15 rebounds for the Heat. The win also ended a four-game losing streak for Miami.

"We were very disappointed about the last four games. There were detail things that we needed to address and will continue to address. We're not satisfied with where we're at," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who used the mini slump to reshuffle his roster with one eye on the play-offs.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE