The two Eastern Conference favorites looked impressive on Tuesday night on their home floors and both were led by their stars against conference foes. First, Kawhi Leonard continued his hot start with the Raptors by scoring 31 points in a 129-112 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Leonard shot 10-of-19 from the floor, as the Raptors used a big first half where they outscored the Sixers, 67-53. The win keeps them unbeaten at home at 6-0, as they avenged their first loss of the season from the night before on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Pascal Siakam contributed a double-double with 15 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, helping the Raptors beat Philadelphia at home for a 12th straight time. Kyle Lowry also stayed hot with 20 points and 13 assists, and Jonas Valanciunas scored a season-high 23 points. The Raptors set a season-high in points with this win, as Serge Ibaka had 16 points, and the Raptors set a franchise record with their sixth straight home win to begin the season.
Leonard also got things done on the defensive side of the ball, no surprise there, as he had four steals to lead the Raptors, who had 13 as a team. That helped them force a season-high 23 turnovers on the Sixers, which haunted Philly despite Joel Embiid's 31 points. They did have Ben Simmons back, as he just missed out on a triple-double with 11 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds. Although, he did commit 11 turnovers, as the Sixers dropped to 4-4 on the season, including 0-4 away from home.
Meanwhile, in Boston, the Celtics took down the Detroit Pistons for a second straight game, this time at home, 105-102, at the TD Garden. Kyrie Irving overcame a three-point performance in Saturday's road win by scoring 31 points in the Celtics' fifth win of the season. Boston was helped out by Blake Griffin's errant inbounds pass that was too far ahead of his intended target, Ish Smith, which was picked up by Irving, sealing the Pistons' second loss of the season.
Irving's point total was a season-high for him, which was previously 22 points, and he reached that by making 10 of 16 shots, while Marcus Morris added 15 points and nine rebounds against his former team. The former Cleveland Cavaliers point guard averaged just 14 points through six games in to the season, but got hot in the third quarter, where Boston outscored Detroit, 25-13. Their star point guard also added five rebounds and five assists in their third straight victory.
The Celtics, per usual, distributed the ball well, which led to Jayson Tatum scoring 16 points, Jaylen Brown had 14, and Al Horford finished with 11 on the night. The Pistons nearly came all the way back from a 14-point deficit, and were once again led by Griffin's 24 points and 15 rebounds. Although, the star's costly turnover came with three seconds on the clock, and ended that comeback attempt. Andre Drummond had 17 points and 12 rebounds and Reggie Bullock had 16 in the Pistons' first road loss.
Pascal Siakam contributed a double-double with 15 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, helping the Raptors beat Philadelphia at home for a 12th straight time. Kyle Lowry also stayed hot with 20 points and 13 assists, and Jonas Valanciunas scored a season-high 23 points. The Raptors set a season-high in points with this win, as Serge Ibaka had 16 points, and the Raptors set a franchise record with their sixth straight home win to begin the season.
Leonard also got things done on the defensive side of the ball, no surprise there, as he had four steals to lead the Raptors, who had 13 as a team. That helped them force a season-high 23 turnovers on the Sixers, which haunted Philly despite Joel Embiid's 31 points. They did have Ben Simmons back, as he just missed out on a triple-double with 11 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds. Although, he did commit 11 turnovers, as the Sixers dropped to 4-4 on the season, including 0-4 away from home.
Meanwhile, in Boston, the Celtics took down the Detroit Pistons for a second straight game, this time at home, 105-102, at the TD Garden. Kyrie Irving overcame a three-point performance in Saturday's road win by scoring 31 points in the Celtics' fifth win of the season. Boston was helped out by Blake Griffin's errant inbounds pass that was too far ahead of his intended target, Ish Smith, which was picked up by Irving, sealing the Pistons' second loss of the season.
Irving's point total was a season-high for him, which was previously 22 points, and he reached that by making 10 of 16 shots, while Marcus Morris added 15 points and nine rebounds against his former team. The former Cleveland Cavaliers point guard averaged just 14 points through six games in to the season, but got hot in the third quarter, where Boston outscored Detroit, 25-13. Their star point guard also added five rebounds and five assists in their third straight victory.
The Celtics, per usual, distributed the ball well, which led to Jayson Tatum scoring 16 points, Jaylen Brown had 14, and Al Horford finished with 11 on the night. The Pistons nearly came all the way back from a 14-point deficit, and were once again led by Griffin's 24 points and 15 rebounds. Although, the star's costly turnover came with three seconds on the clock, and ended that comeback attempt. Andre Drummond had 17 points and 12 rebounds and Reggie Bullock had 16 in the Pistons' first road loss.
