Celtics vs. Warriors takeaways: Convincing win for C’s to begin West Coast swing originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
For the first time all season, the Boston Celtics have entered the top four of the Eastern Conference standings.
Boston’s 110-88 win over the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center puts them in a position where if the season were to end today, the Celtics would have homecourt advantage in the opening round of the postseason.
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart all topped 20 points for the Celtics (42-28), who won for the sixth time in their last seven trips to the Bay Area.
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It was also a nice bounce-back performance for the Green after losing at home on Sunday to the Dallas Mavericks as Kevin Garnett’s No. 5 was retired.
Here are some other takeaways from the opening night of a four-game West Coast road swing in San Francisco:
Defense shines early, perks back up late
The Warriors may not be quite as potent as they were last decade, but they entered Wednesday averaging 111.6 points per game, 11th in the NBA, and still third in the Western Conference at 47-23.
The Celtics put a dent in that, specifically in the first half. Golden State scored a measly 32 points in the opening 24 minutes, its lowest output of the season after scoring 36 in the first half in a game earlier this season against the Denver Nuggets.
The Warriors put up 37 in the third quarter — thanks in large part to an unconscious effort from Jordan Poole (game-high 29 points) — but Boston clamped back down late, limiting Golden State to 19 points in the final frame to win going away.
For the game, the 88 points were the fourth-fewest of the season for the Warriors, who were an abysmal 22 for 66 (33 percent) when Poole wasn’t the one shooting. It was even worse from 3-point range; Poole finished 6 of 13 from deep, while his teammates combined to go 5 for 35 (14.2 percent).
Robert Williams III narrowly missed a double-double (8 points, 9 rebounds) but managed a game-high four blocks.
Marcus Smart plays his role to perfection
Smart was called for a flagrant foul on Klay Thompson, which could certainly have been avoided, but there didn’t seem to be any intent on Smart’s part and it looked like just an unfortunate play.
Curry wouldn’t return for the Warriors. Steve Kerr may beg to differ, but that was a quintessential Smart play.
Smart is at his best when he’s diving for loose balls and the like, but he provided some additional value on the offensive side of the floor, too, against the Warriors topping 20 points for the second time in three games and dishing out eight assists. Smart was effective in racking up 20, finishing 8 of 12 from the floor and 4 of 7 from 3-point range.
Amazingly, the Celtics are below .500 all-time when Smart scores 20 or more; with tonight’s win, the team is now 18-19 when he passes the magic number.
Jaylen Brown, Peyton Pritchard prove how far Celtics have come
It was just one possession in a game of dozens of them, but a Peyton Pritchard 3-pointer on a feed from Jaylen Brown personifies just why the Celtics are finally playing to their potential.
Golden State, which had trailed by as many as 24, had trimmed its deficit to single digits in the fourth quarter. Rather than playing hero ball, something Brown, Tatum and others were guilty of earlier in the season, Brown searched for a shooter in the corner as the shot clock wound down. That would have been a textbook forced show by Brown.
Of course, without the make by Pritchard, it’s all moot. But it’s notable as well for Pritchard, who wasn’t making those kinds of shots — in the rare occasion he’d have an opportunity — earlier in the season.
Pritchard finished fourth on the Celtics in scoring with 10 points on 4 for 9 shooting, including 2 of 6 from 3-point range.
The Celtics continue their road swing on Friday night against the Sacramento Kings at 10 p.m.