The Boston Celtics defeated the Golden State Warriors 121-118 on Thursday to avenge their final loss against them (January 19th). Before Thursday’s game, the Celtics had dropped four straight to the Golden State Warriors.
Three of the losses were during Games 4, 5, and 6 of the 2022 finals, while the fourth occurred earlier this season on December 10th, when the Celtics were defeated 123-107 at the Chase Center. After the Celtics snapped their losing streak against the Western Conference titans, former player Kendrick Perkins posted on Twitter:
“Getting the monkey off your back in a repeat of the NBA Finals had to be a great feeling for Tatum and the Celtics! Keep going…”
The rising Boston Celtics, who had won seven in a row entering the game, did not have it easy. The struggling Golden State Warriors kept this game close by not allowing the Celtics to take a large lead.
There were eight lead changes, with Boston holding the largest advantage of 10 points. Golden State Warriors trimmed that deficit in half and grabbed a one-point lead into halftime. Klay Thompson led the Warriors’ surge, scoring 20 of his 24 points in the first half alone.
By the end of the third quarter, the Golden State Warriors had built a seven-point advantage. They were better prepared to keep their winning run over the Boston Celtics going, but Jayson Tatum had other plans. The MVP frontrunner scored 13 of his 34 points in the last quarter and overtime to help his club win eight games in a row.
A victory over the Golden State Warriors would be a welcome relief for the Boston Celtics
This season, the Boston Celtics have been the top club in the NBA. They have a league-best 34-12 record. With averages of 31/8/4 and 27/7/3, respectively, their superstars, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have both played at an MVP-caliber level.
Meanwhile, the Celtics’ role players have performed admirably. They boast one of the finest squad depths in the NBA, making them one of the league’s most powerful teams this season. To some sense, Boston’s inexperience at the greatest level had been their Achilles’ heel.
Their previous season’s defeat to the Golden State Warriors was a result of that. That was also true during their stunning overtime victory on Thursday. In both instances, the Celtics did not appear to be at ease.
Given the Golden State Warriors’ troubles, Boston should have won both games decisively, especially given their momentum.
Nonetheless, they have a victory over Golden State Warriors. It might do wonders for the team’s confidence in big moments, especially in the playoffs, where it already appears to be sky-high.
