Allen lifts Celtics past Raptors in OT

TORONTO -- On this day, at least, Ray Allen was the obvious choice among Boston’s big three to get the ball with the game on the line.

Allen made the winning three-point basket with less than three seconds to play, and surpassed 17,000 points by finishing with 33 in the Celtics’ 98-95 overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.

T.J. Ford had tied it at 95-95 on a three-point shot with 4.4 seconds left in overtime.

Kevin Garnett scored 10 of his 23 points in overtime and added 13 rebounds. Paul Pierce added 13 points and six assists.

Ford led Toronto with 32 points, and Chris Bosh had 19 points and 10 rebounds.

A game that started slowly ended with one lead change and five ties down the stretch.

“Everybody that watched the game got their money’s worth,” Allen said. “It was definitely fun to play in and be a part of.”

The Celtics played without Coach Doc Rivers, who left Toronto early Sunday after his father died in Chicago. Assistant Tom Thibodeau replaced him. Grady Alexander Rivers Sr. was 76.