Raptors’ Scottie Barnes makes Celtics pay with 2nd-chance slam

Scottie Barnes put his dunking skills on display during the Toronto Raptors’ matchup against the Boston Celtics on Saturday night.

Barnes is progressing through the fifth season of his NBA career, all with the Raptors. He has developed into the team’s top star, standing out as one of their most consistent players on both sides of the ball.

His versatility and athleticism grant him the ability to pull off unique dunking highlights. That much was the case during the second quarter when he missed his initial shot attempt. He made up for the miss by leaping in the air, catching the ball and throwing it down the hoop with both hands.

Scottie Barnes hammers it home with a strong two-hand dunk pic.twitter.com/naWGnM18cs

— Raptors Nation (@RaptorsNationCP) December 21, 2025

How Scottie Barnes, Raptors played against Celtics

Despite Scottie Barnes’ efforts, it wasn’t enough as the Raptors lost another home matchup to the division rival Celtics by a 112-96 score.

Both teams traded blows throughout the course of the first half, seeing Boston up 32-20 after the opening quarter before Toronto fired back with a 31-17 display in the second period. However, the Celtics took firm control in the second half, outscoring the Raptors 63-45 in the last 24 minutes of regulation.

Rebounding and inside scoring made the difference in this matchup. The Celtics prevailed in both categories by securing 55 rebounds and scoring 54 points inside the paint. It wasn’t the same for the Raptors as they grabbed 37 rebounds and produced just 32 points inside the paint.

Three players scored in double-digits for Toronto in the loss, including Barnes. In 33 minutes of action, he finished with a stat line of 12 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and two blocks. He shot 5-of-15 from the field, including 1-of-5 from beyond the arc. Brandon Ingram led the way with 24 points and seven assists, while Sandro Mamukelashvili put up 24 points and five rebounds. Meanwhile, Collin Murray-Boyles came next with nine points and six rebounds.

Toronto fell to a 17-12 record on the season, holding the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They are even with the Philadelphia 76ers for fourth place while trailing the Celtics by 0.5 games and New York Knicks by three games.

The Raptors will look to bounce back in their next matchup, being on the road. They face the Brooklyn Nets on Dec. 21 at 6 p.m. ET.

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