Sports

Irving returns, Raptors dominate Celtics

TORONTO -- Kyle Lowry scored 23 points, C.J. Miles had 20 and the Toronto Raptors routed the Celtics 111-91 on Tuesday night, snapping Boston's four-game winning streak.

DeMar DeRozan added 15 points, Delon Wright had 14 and Fred VanVleet 10 as Toronto won its fifth straight home meeting over Boston, closing to within a game of the conference-leading Celtics.
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Kyrie Irving returned after missing the previous three games because of a bruised right quad to score 17 points in 22 minutes.

Reserve forward Marcus Morris also returned for Boston after sitting out two games because of a bruised left hip but the Celtics suffered their second-worst defeat of the season. Boston's only bigger loss was a 23-point defeat at Chicago on Dec. 11.

Terry Rozier scored 18 points, Morris had 12 and Jaylen Brown 11 for the Celtics.

Boston's Al Horford shot 1 for 5 and finished with two points in 24 minutes.

Toronto won its fifth straight home game and improved to 22-4 at Air Canada Centre, the best home mark in the NBA.

All six of Lowry's field goals were 3-pointers. His career-high is eight, set against Charlotte on Nov. 29.

Lowry and Miles combined for 11 of Toronto's 17 3-pointers. Lowry made his first three 3-point attempts but no other Raptor connected from long range in the first quarter. Toronto led 22-18 after one.

Toronto's bench extended the lead in the second. VanVleet scored 10 points and Wright had nine as the Raptors connected on 13 of 19 field goal attempts in the quarter to take a 58-37 lead at halftime.

Lowry and DeRozan each scored 10 points in the third. The Raptors were up 83-60 heading to the fourth.

TIP-INS

Celtics: Irving missed the only previous meeting between the teams this season, a 95-94 Boston win on Nov. 12, because of a minor facial fracture suffered in a collision with teammate Aron Baynes. ... Boston shot just two free throws in the first half.

Raptors: Toronto is 15-3 when VanVleet scores 10 or more. ... The Raptors are 31-9 when they record 20 or more assists.

UP NEXT

Celtics: Visit Washington on Thursday. Boston has lost its past two road meetings with the Wizards.

Raptors: Wrap up a four-game homestand against the Knicks on Thursday. Toronto has won four straight home meetings with New York.