BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics played a 2-3 zone (again), ran lineups without a point guard and gave Kadeem Allen significant first-half minutes (during which he played pretty well!). Aron Baynes hit the second and third 3-pointers of his career. Al Horford was the primary ball-handler for a stretch.

The Celtics win over the Toronto Raptors on Saturday was about as strange a basketball game as you could imagine. One thing, however, was predictable: When Marcus Morris was ejected in the final minutes -- apparently for telling Serge Ibaka repeatedly to "drop it" -- the TD Garden erupted. Morris exited the floor waving his arms to a standing ovation.

"When I first got here people knew who I was," Morris said. "So it's not different. I think they're just starting to love me more. I think they liked me, but now they're starting to love me, so I appreciate that."

Celtics fans may love Morris even more when this video makes the rounds on social media.

Morris slapped the refs butt after being ejected. 😂 pic.twitter.com/P7j68qK5uE — NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) April 1, 2018

Morris may have been playing with fire a bit -- players aren't allowed to make contact with referees, and Morris pretty obviously made contact as he exited the floor (for an extra chuckle, watch Terry Rozier trying not to laugh in the background).

Over the last few weeks, in the absence of Boston's stars, Morris has flourished. During Boston's six-game winning streak, Morris has topped 20 four times and 30 twice. He also hit a pair of game-winners, including a buzzer-beater that propelled the Celtics over the Oklahoma City Thunder to jump-start the streak. Perhaps more effectively than anyone active on Boston's roster right now, he can create his own shot -- dribble pull-ups just inside the arc, 3-pointers off the catch, and high-post fall-aways. The looks aren't always efficient, but his numbers this year have been solid.

Morris said he hasn't been waiting for an opportunity like this, necessarily.

"I wouldn't say that," he said. "The opportunity presents itself and I'm stepping up, doing what my team needs me to do to win."

The Celtics do need Morris to score. On Saturday, he pitched in a team-high 25 points off the bench on 7-for-15 shooting. As Boston ralled back from a six-point deficit in the third quarter, Morris' 3-point play evened the score. In the fourth, with 4:18 left, his 3-pointer pushed the lead to six.

"I said this when we traded for him, we really struggled to guard Marcus Morris," Brad Stevens said. "Always had a lot of respect for the way he can play. I thought he was going to be a huge part of our team from the get-go. Obviously, he went through the injury early, got himself feeling great, he talks about how he's never felt better. He's playing great."

Morris also made perhaps the biggest defensive play of the game. With Boston leading by seven and a 1:30 remaining, Kyle Lowry got out in transition and tried to drive for a layup. Morris, however, met him at the rim -- sending the shot off the glass and into the hands of Al Horford. Jayson Tatum was fouled on the other end, made his free throws, and the Celtics went up by nine. Toronto wouldn't threaten again.

Morris peered at the TV when asked if the block gave him bragging rights over Lowry. His alma mater, Kansas, was getting smacked by Lowry's alma mater, Villanova.

"No, because I looked at the score," Morris said. "I'd rather take the block back and Kansas go up a couple points. But we definitely bet during the game, so I'm hoping we fight back and get that dub."

Kansas didn't fight back and get the dub, but the Celtics -- with Morris, their unlikely leader -- could still fight back and earn the No. 1 seed. If they do, Boston's new favorite instigator will have his fingerprints all over the rally.

"He's crazy," Terry Rozier said. "He's fearless. He can put the ball in the hole, do a lot of things that can put our team in the right position to win. Along with a lot of other guys, we're just playing very well. We got to keep it going."