Think about the demons exorcised. In a Sunday matinee, the Boston Celtics crushed the Golden State Warriors 140-88.
Wanting on the massive image, the Celtics have inarguably been the perfect crew within the league. The numbers don’t lie. Previous to at this time, their file (47-12) and +10.9 internet ranking (121.5 offensive ranking for first in NBA historical past, 110.6 defensive ranking for third within the league) affirm that dominance. Spoiler alert: these numbers are going to be even higher.
However on a game-to-game foundation, there are groups that may give Boston hassle — not simply this 12 months, however seemingly all the time. Enter the Golden State Warriors. Name it a hangover from the 2022 Finals or the conflict of play types, however this matchup has all the time been difficult within the Brad Stevens period.
Most just lately, again on December nineteenth, the four-time champions erased a 17-point lead at Chase Heart solely to beat Boston in additional time after some questionable (un)clutch play for the Celtics down the stretch.
For the 2 highest quantity three-point capturing groups within the league, it began out as a shootout and ended with Boston completely profitable on the OK Corral. Of their ultimate sport of the homestand, the Celtics hit 25-of-49 from behind the arc, together with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White combining for 13-of-20. The Warriors made simply 7-of-41.
Nonetheless, a lot of the injury was on the rim. Even with out Kristaps Porzingis who’s nursing a quad contusion, the Celtics attacked mismatches and pounded the paint. Whether or not it was Tatum or Brown taking smaller defenders off the dribble or jn the put up or Al Horford and Luke Kornet making the most of switches and dump offs within the dunker spot, Boston outscored Golden State 30 to 24 in factors within the paint within the first two quarters and outran them for the sport with 42 transition factors.
Brown and Tatum have been each on tempo for 50 factors, however completed the sport with 29 and 27 respectively. White had 14 factors and eight assists. Payton Pritchard mopped up with 19.
With the Celtics registering the most important halftime lead (44) in franchise historical past, the Warriors waved the purple flag, sitting Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Inexperienced for the rest of the sport.
Twelve of Boston’s subsequent fifteen video games on the street. After celebrating Tatum’s seventh nineteenth birthday tonight, the Celtics will launch a five-game street journey out west towards some playoff contenders in Cleveland, Denver, Phoenix, Portland, and Utah.
