Top 100 moments of the 2018-19 NBA season, Part 2

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Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images /

43. Kyrie Irving leads Celtics to late win over Raptors

The final score of 117-108 may not indicate it, but this Jan. 16 meeting between the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors was a close contest until the game’s waning minutes. That’s when Kyrie Irving completely took over, making amends for the public criticism of his younger teammates just days before.

Finishing with 27 points and a career-high 18 assists, Irving saved 10 points and six dimes for the final frame as he helped the Celtics close the game on a 17-4 run. His step-back jumper with 2:15 left in the game gave Boston a two-point advantage, and he quickly followed that up with a 3-point dagger from 31 feet to extend the lead to five with 1:39 to play.

Kawhi Leonard led Toronto with 33 points and Serge Ibaka chipped in 22 points and 10 boards, but in this showdown between the two teams most expected to compete for the Eastern belt before the season began, it was Kyrie Irving who emerged as the ultimate game-changer.