Nick Nurse’s questionable tactics raise eyebrows as Raptors down Celtics

An NBA star has hit out at an opposing coach for his end of game tactics that kept his team’s hopes of securing back-to-back championships.

Nick Nurse standing on the court

Kyle Lowry scored 33 points and Norman Powell added 23 off the bench as defending champion Toronto bagged a series-levelling 125-122 double overtime victory over Boston in the NBA playoffs.

An emotional thriller that resembled the intensity of a heavyweight boxing match-up saw the Raptors sustain their repeat hopes and pull level 3-3 in the Eastern Conference semi-finals with a winner-take-all game seven set for Saturday.

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The winner advances to an Eastern Conference final showdown against Miami.

“Just winning,” an exhausted Lowry said after playing 53 minutes. “That was two hard teams playing hard. We had to win the game. Win or go home.

“Get it done. Don’t matter who has to do it. Ready for game seven.”

Powell made a steal and fast break lay-up plus a free throw to lift Toronto ahead 121-117 with 38 seconds remaining.

Jayson Tatum answered with an inside jumper but Lowry hit a fall-away jumper — Toronto’s sixth successful shot in a row — to put Toronto ahead 123-119.

Tatum sank a 3-pointer to pull Boston within a point with 6.2 seconds remaining but Powell sank two free throws and Marcus Smart missed a last-chance 3-pointer for Boston.

Tatum was also responsible for a crucial turnover late in the fourth quarter when he thought he was passing to a teammate — only to mistake Raptors coach Nick Nurse on the sideline for a fellow Celtic.

“I mean, I turned it over,” Tatum said, reluctant to shift the blame. “That was my fault. Can’t blame Nick Nurse. He’s not playing. It was my fault.”

But Boston star Jaylen Brown wasn’t as forgiving, saying Nurse should have controlled himself.

“I think it’s a lot of emotions,” Brown said. “It’s very intense and things like that and sometimes things seem to go overboard at times. Let’s keep it in check, let’s keep it respectable, and let’s keep playing basketball.

“Grown men should be able to control themselves, especially coaching staff. So, let’s continue to do what we gotta do, play basketball, and be ready to fight.”

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Interesting move here from Nick Nurse: pic.twitter.com/F0b3heqvKw

— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) September 10, 2020

Jaylen Brown scored 31 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to lead Boston while Tatum had 29 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists and Smart managed only his second carer triple-double with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

“It was a hard-played, tough game. Could have gone either way,” said Celtics coach Brad Stevens. “Great basketball game. Right now, put some ice on your legs and get ready for Saturday.”

The Raptors won their first NBA crown last season but NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Kawhi Leonard left in the off-season for the Los Angeles Clippers.

Fred VanVleet added 21 points for Toronto and German centre Daniel Theis had 18 points for Boston.

A Theis dunk lifted the Celtics level at 98-98 with two minutes remaining in regulation time. Toronto’s Pascal Siakam and Boston’s Kemba Walker each missed inside shots in the dying seconds and Siakam missed a desperation 3-point heave at the buzzer, setting up overtime.

Walker hit a jumper to give the Celtics a 104-101 lead, but Norman Powell sank a left corner 3-pointer to tie the game, then made two free throws with 92 seconds remaining in overtime to give Toronto a 106-104 edge.

Tatum sank two free throws to tie the game with 18.9 seconds remaining in overtime and Powell missed a final 3-pointer to force double overtime.

The Raptors forced a Game 7.

Celtics trainers were working with injured playmaker Gordon Hayward, who has re-completed quarantine in the COVID-19 bubble at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, but remains out indefinitely with a right ankle sprain.

In a later game, the Denver Nuggets faced the Los Angeles Clippers in a Western Conference semi-final with the Clippers leading the series 2-1.

AFP