TORONTO, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Boston Celtics guards Jrue Holiday and Derrick White scored 22 points each and combined for nine 3-pointers to lead the team to a 105-96 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday evening.
Boston improved to a league-best 31-9 despite missing All-Star Jaylen Brown who was nursing a right knee injury.
Holiday jumped out to a quick start, scoring 10 points in the first quarter alone. The 33-year-old product of UCLA finished with four threes, seven assists, and six rebounds.
"He's learning how to affect the game differently and you can see him getting comfortable on both sides of the floor," said Celtics head coach Joe Mazulla of Holiday, who was acquired in an off-season trade with Milwaukee last summer. "Everyone forgets that when Derrick (White) first got here, the adjustment that it took for him. Jrue is in that category now."
The 29-year-old White, who was acquired three seasons ago in a mid-season trade with San Antonio, is having a standout season with career-highs in points (15.7), 3-pointers made (2.3), 3-point percentage (41.0).
During the game, White made five 3-pointers, including a dagger in front of the Raptors bench with 77 seconds left in the fourth quarter to end a late 8-0 Toronto run and stretch the Boston lead to seven points.
White had more three-pointers than the entire Raptors squad, who shot a season-worst 4-for-32 (12.5 percent) from beyond the arch, compared to Celtics who shot 16-for-39 (41.0 percent).
Boston got double-digit scoring from the rest of their starters, led by All-Star Jayson Tatum who notched his 14th double-double of the season with 19 points, 14 rebounds and six assists.
17-year veteran Al Horford, who replaced Brown in the starting lineup had a double-double of his own with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Latvian big man Kristaps Porzingis rounded out the group with 15 points, including a game-best 10-for-12 from the free throw line. ■
