Sunday afternoon at the TD Garden, the Boston Celtics (47-12, 28-3 home) will welcome the Golden State Warriors (37-27, 16-12 away) for the final game of their regular season series. The Warriors currently lead 1-0. In their history of 349 regular season games against Golden State, the Celtics hold a commanding 209-140 record.
Today’s game marks the conclusion of Boston’s short home stint, with victories over the Mavericks, 76ers, and Knicks.
Although Golden State holds the 10th seed in the Western Conference, this matchup holds significant importance for Boston. Beyond aiming to prolong their winning streak, it’s a chance for revenge following the 2022 NBA Finals. Whenever these teams meet in a prime-time showdown, anticipation for an intense contest is guaranteed.
In their initial clash on December 19, the Warriors secured a 132-126 victory over the Celtics in Golden State, despite the absence of Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White and Jaylen Brown collectively contributed 58 points for the Celtics.
Boston ultimately lost the game in overtime, ending their then five-game winning streak. Unfortunately, the Celtics couldn’t grab a crucial rebound in the final seconds, leading to a three-pointer by Steph Curry at the buzzer. Despite holding a 17-point lead, Boston couldn’t maintain it, allowing the Warriors to come back and secure the win.
The team as a whole faced challenges, shooting only 41.2 percent from the field and 29.3 percent from beyond the arc. Golden State asserted dominance in rebounds and assists while boasting nearly a 40 percent success rate from three-point range. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson teamed up for a total of 57 points, while Draymond Green was absent due to suspension.
Currently on a ten-game winning streak, the Celtics boast the NBA’s top record. With a remarkable +10 point differential, Boston recently secured a decisive 138-110 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.
Leading the Cleveland Cavaliers by eight games, the Celtics maintain the league’s best offensive rating at 121.5 and rank among the top three defensively. Additionally, they dominate the boards, leading the NBA with an average of 47.1 rebounds per game. Through 59 games, Joe Mazzullas squad holds a league leading plus/minus of +10. Undefeated in their last ten games, Boston is 14-6 against Western Conference teams this season.
Beginning on Tuesday, Boston faces challenging road matchups next weekend, squaring off against the Cavaliers, Nuggets, and Suns. Their clash with Cleveland kicks off a four-game road trip for the Celtics.
With 23 games remaining in the regular season, it’s crucial to monitor how the Celtics will fare in their upcoming challenging five-game stretch. Golden State, boasting an 8-2 record in their last ten games, has hit their stride, making it intriguing to see how Boston matches up against them, particularly with the impressive performance of Steph Curry. As of right now, Curry is questionable to play.
In this matchup, the return of Draymond Green to the lineup for Golden State is expected to have a significant impact defensively. Additionally, the potential inclusion of rookie Brandin Podziemski, who is a game-time decision, could be pivotal if he takes the court tonight. In the previous game against Boston, Podziemski exited to the locker room during the second half, which could affect his availability and potential impact in this game.
Despite the Warriors being on a three-game win streak, they will be missing Andrew Wiggins, who has been exceptional over the last ten games. His absence will likely come as a significant relief for Boston, as Wiggins has been shooting an impressive 50 percent from beyond the arc during this span.
In a way, I’d like to see Boston matchup with a fully healthy Warriors team, especially since Mazzulla has been experimenting with Xavier Tillman and different combinations of rotations. While this may not be possible, the Celtics only have so many games before they play several sub-.500 teams at the end of the year.
For Golden State, they are on the last leg of their four-game road trip, after Sunday’s contest, they will host a mini home stand against the Bucks, Bulls, and Spurs.
While the Celtics were fully healthy in their last game, Kristaps Porzingis is now listed as a game-time decision due to a quad injury sustained against the Dallas Mavericks. It’s worth mentioning that he hasn’t faced the Warriors this season, and there’s a risk he might miss another game. Whether Coach Mazzulla opts to rest him or not, the Celtics will prioritize his game management, especially with the playoffs rapidly approaching.
Neemias Queta, who was recently with the Maine Celtics, is listed as out to a hyperextension of his knee.
Probable Celtics Starters
Celtics Regular Starters
- PG, #4 : Jrue Holiday
- SG, #9: Derrick White
- SF, #7: Jaylen Brown
- PF, #0: Jayson Tatum
- C: #8: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics Reserves
- G, #11: Jaden Springer
- G, #50: Svi Mykhailiuk
- G, #11: Payton Pritchard
- G, #27: Jordan Walsh
- G, #20: JD Davidson (2-way player)
- F, #12: Oshae Brissett
- F, #30: Sam Hauser
- F #26: Xavier Tillman
- F, #13: Drew Peterson (2-way player)
- F, #42: Al Horford
- C, #40: Luke Kornet
- C, #88: Neemias Queta (2-way player)
Injuries
- Kristaps Porzingis: day-to day (quad contusion)
- Neemias Queta: OUT (Knee hyperextension)
Boston Celtics Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Probable Warriors Starters
Warriors Regular Starters
- PG, #30: Steph Curry
- SG, #2: Brandin Podziemski
- SF, #22: Andrew Wiggins
- PF, #00: Jonathan Kuminga
- C: #23: Draymond Green
Warriors Reserves
- G, #3: Chris Paul
- G, #0: Gary Payton II
- G, #4: Moses Moody
- G, #11: Klay Thompson
- G, #25: Lester Quinones
- G, #18: Jerome Robinson (2-way player)
- G, #61: Pat Spencer (2- way player)
- F, #20: Dario Saric
- F, #12: Usman Garuba (2-way player)
- F, #5: Kevon Looney
- F, #32: Trayce Jackson-Davis
- F, #15: Gui Santos
Injuries
- Steph Curry: day-to-day (knee bursitis)
- Brandin Podziemski: day-to-day (knee)
- Andrew Wiggins: OUT (personal)
- Gui Santos: OUT (knee)
Golden State Warriors Head Coach
Steve Kerr
Keys for a Cs win
Home court advantage: I say this every time the Celtics are at home. They hold an NBA best 28-3 record at home, and once again have another prime matchup at the TD Garden. Boston has been spectacular at home, averaging 122.8 points, with a 8-2 record at home. In addition, Boston is shooting 49.2 percent from the floor, and 39.5 percent from deep at the garden. Once again, the numbers speak for themselves, and they need to take advantage of their home turf and fans.
Rebounding: The Celtics’ dominance in rebounding is well-known throughout the league. However, if Porzingis is sidelined, they might face an even greater challenge. Should Curry and Podziemski be unavailable for today’s game, the Warriors are likely to deploy Green at the center position, opting for a smaller lineup. In such a scenario, Boston will need to capitalize on this size advantage.
In their previous matchup against Golden State, the Warriors outrebounded the Celtics 59-55 and controlled the defensive boards.Over their ten game win streak, the green is averaging over 45 boards per game, and 50.8 rebounds in their last six games at the TD Garden.
Second chance points: As mentioned previously, boxing out and grabbing boards are important in stopping second chance opportunities. Last matchup, Boston dominated in second chance points, and it will be vital that Al Horford, Tatum and the rest of the team steps up if KP is unable to suit up. The Celtics lead the league in 8.0 boxouts, and will need to continue that this afternoon.
Paint touches: In their previous meeting, Boston managed to outscore the Warriors 56-54 in the paint. Even when their shots aren’t falling, the Celtics have shown resilience by finding alternative pathways to victory, often through strong interior play. In their recent matchup against the Mavericks, Boston scored a whopping 62 points in the paint, underscoring the importance of their inside presence in securing the win.
Defense: Defense wins championships and games. Mazzulla and the Celtics pride themselves on defense, and that’s why they are a top five team in that category. Over the last ten games, they are holding opponents to just 106.2 points per game, and need to have that mindset heading into this matchup. In their last meeting, they allowed the Warriors to shot over 40 percent from the floor and beyond the perimeter, and couldn’t match them. Limiting points off turnovers, and locking up Curry will be key.
Players to watch:
Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors): Although he’s listed as questionable for today’s matchup, he’s playing incredible basketball this season, especially against the Celtics. In one game against Boston, he cooked up for 33 points, and 6 assists, on 54.4 percent three-point shooting, and 52.4 percent from the floor. If he’s able to suit up, it’s going to be difficult to contain Curry.
Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics): Jaylen Brown has been playing incredible basketball this season, and should have a decent matchup, especially if Curry and Podiemski are unable to play. In one matchup against the Warriors, he poured in 28 points, 7 assists, and 8 rebounds, on 45.5 percent field goal shooting. If Porzingis is out as well, expect Brown to be active on the rebounds as well.
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