Kyrie scores 43, Celtics beat Raptors in OT

Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving (11) passes the ball against the defense of Toronto Raptors forwards Pascal Siakam (43) and Serge Ibaka (9) in the fourth quarter Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, in Boston. Irving scored 43 points to lead the Celtics to a 123-116 victory in overtime. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

BOSTON — Kyrie Irving had a season-high 43 points, scoring 17 in the last 8:06 of the fourth quarter to force overtime and then making or recording an assist on every basket in the extra period Friday night to lead the Boston Celtics to a 123-116 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

Irving had 11 assists, and Jayson Tatum scored 21 with seven rebounds for the Celtics. Boston evened the season series at one game apiece against the only team to finish above it in the Eastern Conference last season. The home team has won nine straight matchups.

Kawhi Leonard scored 31 with a season-high 15 rebounds for Toronto, which has lost three straight since opening the season with 12 victories in its first 13 games. Serge Ibaka scored 21 and Pascal Siakam had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Raptors, who never led in overtime.

Gordon Hayward scored 15 points with five rebounds and five assists in a team-high 39 minutes — by far his biggest workload since the injury that knocked him out in the first quarter of the first game last season.

Hayward hit a pair of free throws to open the overtime, Ibaka answered with a jumper and from there it was all Celtics. Hayward scored on a pass from Irving, then Irving rescued Tatum from a near-turnover and drive for the layup to give Boston a 113-109 lead.

The Raptors never got closer than three points after that.

END OF REGULATION

Toronto led by eight early in the fourth quarter and still had a 107-103 lead with 90 seconds left. But Tatum dunked to cut the deficit to two points and Siakam was called for pushing while going for a rebound, sending Hayward to the line for the game-tying free throws.

Leonard had a chance to win it at the end of regulation, but his long jumper went off the rim.

DUCK

Late in the third quarter, Kyle Lowry got Tatum in the air with a fake and then tried to duck under him as the Celtics forward came over the top. But Tatum wound up kicking him in the head as he came back down.

Lowry went to the floor but remained in the game and made both free throws to give Toronto a 78-68 lead their first double-digit advantage of the game.

TIP-INS

After going 1-4 on a road trip, the Celtics have won two in a row at home. … Toronto’s OG Anunoby left the game in the third quarter with a sprained right wrist. … The Raptors already beat Boston 113-101 on Oct. 19. The teams, which have won 11 of the last 12 Atlantic Division championships, will play twice more. … Irving surpassed the 2,500 assist milestone.