The Celtics extended their win streak Saturday in Toronto (17-12), defeating the Raptors 112-96 for their second consecutive victory.

Missing Jaylen Brown to “illness” (more on that later), Boston relied on sharp guard play and a productive bench to surge after halftime.

The win improved the Celtics to 17-11 and put them ahead of Toronto for the No. 3 seed in the East.

Here are five takeaways from Boston’s win north of the border:

1. Payton Pritchard Night:

With Brown out, Pritchard took over, scoring 33 points - 19 of which came in the third quarter.

He added 10 assists and 8 rebounds, nearly earning a triple-double in what is likely his best game of the 2025-26 season so far.

Pritchard’s surge erased a tough second quarter and secured a comfortable finish for Boston.

These types of performances when Brown is out of the lineup are the exact types of games the Celtics need from a player that has to be their third best player this season until Jayson Tatum returns from injury (and yes, we’re no longer speaking in hypotheticals).

2. Third Quarter Changes Everything:

Boston was sluggish after a 31-17 second quarter but responded decisively out of halftime.

Pritchard’s shooting and improved ball movement propelled the Celtics to outscore Toronto 63-45 in the last two quarters, seizing control and avoiding a late-game grind.

For a team that relies so heavily on its shooting to lead them to victory, their ability to bounce back from cold stretches is a skill they’ll need to continue perfecting with this new-look roster in 2025-26. 

If head coach Joe Mazzulla isn’t going to adjust his team’s style of play, then their in-game resilience is going to be crucial moving forward. Bad quarters can’t turn into bad games.

3. Hugo Gonzalez Keeps Capitalizing:

The rookie wing made the most of extended minutes following Friday’s effort with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 steals in 28 minutes.

His energy stood out - as it has all season long - and a team-best plus-37 highlighted his overall impact.

At 19, Gonzalez is already finding a role as a high-motor contributor. While he’s likely nowhere near his ceiling as a player, that motor will help him be an impactful player during whatever run the Celtics are able to pull off.

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4. Garza & White Provide Separation:

Boston’s depth was key.

Luka Garza returned after two weeks, posting a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Derrick White struggled early but hit timely fourth-quarter baskets, finishing with 15 points and 7 assists.

These are two players that have ebbed and flowed as far as how they’ve played this season. Getting more consistency from both will go a long way for this group this season.

5. No Jaylen, No Problem:

Boston was without their best player on Saturday night due to “illness.”

But let’s be honest - this was your classic case of maintenance for a player that has been giving his all this season for Boston.

Saturday night was just his second missed game in 2025-26.

You can’t blame Brown for sitting this one out on the second night of a back-to-back. And while you may see me on here bemoaning the league for how their stars take nights off in marquee spots, you’re never going to see me do that for Brown. That guys has made a career out of pushing himself to the absolute limit as a player.

The Celtics aim to extend their momentum Monday against the Indiana Pacers (6-22) at TD Garden.

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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.