Boston moves close to securing the East’s No. 2 seed after win over Toronto

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The Boston Celtics boosted their chances of locking in the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference after a 115-101 win over the Toronto Raptors in the ongoing NBA regular season on April 6, 2026.

With the win, the Celtics increased their lead over the trailing New York Knicks to three games and to four games over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

If Boston sweeps all of its remaining regular-season games, the Detroit Pistons are still guaranteed to secure the No. 1 seed, as they formalized their top spot after schooling the Philadelphia 76ers on April 5, 2026.

To nab the Celtics’ third consecutive win, the superstar duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum shot the lights out, combining for 49 points on 18-of-35 shooting from the field.

Brown spearheaded Boston’s second-quarter turnaround after both teams were deadlocked at 26-all heading into the second frame.

Midway through the second quarter, the offensive machine shouldered 11 of the Celtics’ 17 points in just five minutes, which put Boston in front at the half, 54-46.

When Toronto trimmed its deficit to just three points at the end of the third, Tatum stepped up when the Celtics needed him most, scoring eight quick points that kicked off Boston’s lopsided fourth-quarter showcase.

The Celtics outscored Toronto by 11 in the final 12 minutes of the ballgame, led by Tatum, who scored on several isolation plays when he entered the waxing-hot zone.

Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla ran several cross-pick plays that created a big-guard matchup advantage for Tatum, allowing him to razzle and dazzle and capitalize on the mismatch.

The Celtics officially left the Raptors behind after building an 18-point lead, which was too much for Toronto to overcome with only four minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Brown led all scorers with 26 points on an efficient 11-of-20 shooting from the field, alongside six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

Tatum nearly registered a triple-double after delivering 23 markers, 13 boards, seven dimes, and three steals, while Neemias Queta added 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and three blocks.

The Celtics will look to seal the East’s No. 2 seed with a win on April 8, 2026, against the Charlotte Hornets, while Toronto aims to bounce back on the same date against the Miami Heat.