Raptors tie franchise record for wins in a season by stifling Celtics

The Toronto Raptors' magic number to clinch first place in the Eastern Conference and secure home-court advantage throughout the playoffs is one.

With a 96-78 victory over the visiting Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, not only did the Raptors tighten their stranglehold on the No. 1 seed, but they also tied a franchise record with their 56th win of the regular season (56-22, .718).

Toronto finished 56-26 in 2015-16, and advanced all the way to the conference finals before falling to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games.

The second unit accounted for 44 points Wednesday at the Air Canada Centre, led by Fred VanVleet's 15 points and four dimes on 5-of-10 shooting. Delon Wright also just missed out on a triple-double coming off the bench with eight points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in 27 minutes.

Boston's 78 points were a season low. The Celtics shot just 33.3 percent from the field and 3-of-22 from behind the arc, scoring a measly 53 points through the first three quarters.

The Raptors can set a new franchise record when they face the Indiana Pacers on Friday night, and if they finish the season 4-0, they'll hit 60 victories.