The Boston Celtics got off to a tremendous start in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Toronto Raptors. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown set the right tone early on with their explosive plays, and poor OG Anunoby got caught in the crossfire. 

Jaylen Brown had a miserable outing in the previous game with just 14.0 points with a field goal record of 4-18.  But he bounced back in Game 5 to power Boston through to an early lead.

Towards the end of the first quarter, Brown got a defensive rebound and initiated a quick transition play. The 23-year-old rushed towards the paint with Marcus Smart to his right. 

He swiftly made a one-two pass with Smart and got it inside the paint with three Raptors players surrounding him. Without a trace of hesitation, Brown took flight and made a thundering dunk over OG Anunoby. 

This move demonstrates the extraordinary first quarter that the Celtics enjoyed. Brown certainly turned up his switch from the last game, and made plays like this. 

Other than Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum joined in to masterfully score on Anunoby. The 23-year-old had just faced the force of Brown’s dunk and minutes later, Tatum displayed back-to-back moments of brilliance against OG!

Jayson Tatum’s wizardly buckets against OG Anunoby sent the Celtics on a high in the first quarter

Boston looked more comfortable on the court than the defending champions. They began the game with a solid defense, restricting their opponents from accumulating points. Moreover, the Celtics’ offense fired big right from the start, to secure a healthy lead in Game 5. 

Jayson Tatum produced back-to-back moments of absolute magic against OG in the final minute of the quarter to propel the Celtics’ tally to 25.

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The first one is a beautiful step back two-pointer, in which he drew OG along with him, and then displayed his talent to get the points. Tatum then had a quick exchange with Anunoby, which seemed like a spirited one. 

Can the Celtics Ride on the Back of Jayson Tatum’s Brilliance or will Pascal Siakam Rise Up to Be a Rockblock?

Following this, the Celtics then secured a rebound that fell into Tatum’s hands. The 22-year-old forward completed an elegant end-to-end move in which he converted the bucket with a delightful shot that came of the backboard. 

The Celtics ended the first quarter with a fourteen point lead in their hands. With Tatum and Brown firing early, their confidence gained a boost, and they look polished as a unit.

With Toronto struggling early on, it looks like Boston might just put this victory in their bag and head to Game 6 in the 2020 NBA Playoffs.