Following a commanding 123-93 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, the Celtics are back home for a highly anticipated matchup against the Golden State Warriors. There is some underlying tension between the two teams, particularly for Jayson Tatum who was benched by Steve Kerr during the Paris Olympics. This decision by Kerr stirred up some controversy over the summer and now Tatum has a chance to seek revenge on the court.
The Celtics will have to seek redemption without Jaylen Brown, who is sidelined for the third consecutive game due to a left hip flexor strain. Neemias Queta will once again start in place of Brown alongside Holiday, White, Tatum, and Horford. On the Warriors side, they will be missing key players like Brandon Podziemski and De’Anthony Melton, but will have Steph Curry back in action along with other key players like Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green.
1st Quarter
The game started with a lively atmosphere as Holiday set up Queta for an emphatic slam. The Warriors were focused on containing Tatum early in the game, leading to a slow start for them before Curry finally got them on the board with an and-1 layup.
Derrick White was on fire early on, scoring 12 consecutive points for the Celtics in a 14-3 run to kick off the game. Despite the Warriors struggling with their shooting, the Celtics couldn’t fully capitalize on it.
The Celtics had some offensive struggles in the quarter, committing 5 turnovers and going scoreless for over four minutes, allowing the Warriors to cut into their lead. Tatum had a slow start, scoring 5 points on 1-5 shooting as the Warriors contained him effectively.
Despite their shooting struggles, the Celtics ended the quarter ahead 24-19. White led Boston with 12 points, while Buddy Hield paced the Warriors with 8 points.
2nd Quarter
The Warriors’ defense continued to stifle the Celtics, causing trouble for them on offense. Kyle Anderson, an unlikely hero, knocked down three consecutive threes during a 16-3 run for the Warriors. Payton Pritchard tried to keep the Celtics in the game with some scoring while Tatum was on the bench.
Curry started to get going in the second quarter, hitting tough shots over Celtics defenders. Both teams struggled to find consistent offense due to the strong defense on display. The Warriors closed out the half on a 14-4 run, capped off by a buzzer-beating putback from Moses Moody to take a 51-40 lead.
Tatum’s slow night continued into halftime, finishing with only 8 points on 2-7 shooting. Turnovers plagued the Celtics, leading to 10 turnovers and 14 fast break points for the Warriors. White’s 12 points remained the high for the Celtics, while Kyle Anderson led the Warriors with 9 points.
3rd Quarter
Curry came out strong in the third quarter, quickly scoring on his first two attempts. Horford sparked the Celtics’ offense with 7 points early in the quarter, but the Warriors had an answer on every possession. Boston’s ball movement was impressive, leading to a Tatum three-pointer and a timeout by the Warriors.
Tatum started to heat up in the third quarter, scoring 11 straight points for the Celtics. The teams continued to exchange baskets, with Tatum hitting tough shots and keeping Boston in the game. With a clutch three from Payton Pritchard, the Celtics trailed by just 1 point going into the 4th quarter.
4th Quarter
The Celtics took the lead in the fourth quarter thanks to a Queta free throw and a White three-pointer. Queta dominated inside, grabbing offensive rebounds and making big plays. However, the Warriors fought back and regained the lead behind the scoring of Curry and Wiggins.
Despite a late rally by the Celtics, the Warriors managed to hold on for a 118-112 victory. Tatum led Boston with 32 points, while Curry paced the Warriors with 27 points.
The Celtics will look to bounce back in their next game against the Brooklyn Nets as they aim to put this tough loss behind them.
7 offensive rebounds in the 4th for Golden State. 10 second chance points. That killed the Celtics
— John Karalis (@John_Karalis) November 7, 2024
