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Warriors 108, Celtics 88
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
BOSTON — After they pulled out a dramatic, last-second win at Indiana on Tuesday night, the Golden State Warriors could have been excused for being a bit flat Wednesday night.
Forget it.
Putting on a clinic against a weak opponent, the Warriors never trailed, and they capped a 4-2 road trip with a clinic-like 108-88 blowout of the Boston Celtics.
Golden State forward David Lee scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, guard Klay Thompson also had 18 points, and guard Stephen Curry added 14 points. The Warriors, who led by as many as 31 points, removed their starters before the end of the third quarter. Guard Jordan Crawford, a former Celtic making his return, came off the bench to score 15 points.
Golden State (38-24) took a 12-2 lead and never looked back. The Celtics (20-41) lost for the sixth time in their past seven games.
The win ended Golden State’s five-game Boston losing streak and gave the Warriors their first season series win over the Celtics since 2006-07. It also raised the Warriors’ season road record to 20-14, including 14-4 in the past 18 games away from home.
By the end of the third quarter, bored Celtics fans were chanting for former fan favorite Brian Scalabrine, now an assistant coach with the Warriors. The crowd was also chanting for a guy shown on the big screen who looked like the late Tupac Shakur.
Rookie forward Kelly Olynyk, returning from a two-game absence caused by a toe injury, came off the bench to lead the Celtics with 19 points. Five Celtics reached double figures, with guard Rajon Rondo chipping in 14 points, seven assists and five rebounds.
The Warriors shot just 3-of-14 from 3-point range in the first half. However, they led by 21 because they forced 12 turnovers, had eight steals, blocked six shots, had 19 assists on 27 baskets and turned the ball over just twice before the break.
NOTES: G Jordan Crawford, sent from Boston to Golden State on Jan. 15, made his return. “It was home for a minute,” he said of Boston. “The first time I got to play a lot of minutes. I got to have ups, I had downs, and how you adjust to playing bad, how to get back. So it was a lot of positives.” As Crawford met the media, teammate Andrew Bogut walked by and quipped, “They didn’t want you.” … The Warriors return home to face the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night, while the Celtics continue their four-game homestand against Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Collins and the Brooklyn Nets the same night. … Also returning with the Warriors were ex-Celtics C Jermaine O’Neal and Brian Scalabrine, the latter now an assistant coach after playing and broadcasting in Boston. … Injured Celtics G Avery Bradley, who has missed 15 of the last 18 games with an ankle sprain, underwent another MRI exam Wednesday to monitor his progress.
