There’s just no quit with these Golden State Warriors. The defending champions moved a victory closer to Chicago’s season wins record with a heart-stopping overtime triumph over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined for 49 points for the Warriors who are now just five wins away from creating NBA history.
Steve Kerr’s men will look to keep the momentum going when they lock horns with the Boston Celtics tonight. Can the Warriors extend their winning streak at Oracle Arena to 55 games? Or will the Celtics spoil their party? Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of this NBA matchup and while you’re at it, you can check out our preview of Toronto vs. Memphis.
Boston’s losing woes show no sign of abating as the Celtics absorbed a 116-109 defeat to Portland on Thursday. The Celtics simply had no answer for the Blazers’ offensive firepower as six Portland players scored in double-figures. It was another disappointing result for the Celtics who have now lost two consecutive games.
It won’t get any easier for the Celtics as standing in their way tonight are the red-hot Golden State Warriors. The defending champions are unbeaten in their 36 home games this season. To make matters worse for the Celtics, they will face the league’s best offensive team with the Warriors averaging a whopping 115.1 points per game this season.
For Boston to pull off the shock victory tonight, it will need to improve on its field goal shooting. The Celtics are shooting just 38.4 percent from the floor over their last two games. One guy who’s struggling mightily right now for Boston is Isaiah Thomas. He’s shooting just 11-of-35 from the field in his last two outings.
The odds may be stacked against Boston tonight but the Celtics will take comfort in the fact that they took Golden State to the brink in their last meeting. The Warriors needed two overtimes to outlast the Celtics, 124-119, on December 11. Boston did a masterful job in harassing Stephen Curry in that game as he shot just 9-of-27 from the field in that contest. The Celtics will need more of that defensive intensity tonight if they are to hand the Warriors their first home loss this campaign.
The Celtics are 3-7 SU and 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games.
Golden State extended its winning streak to six games with a gritty 103-96 victory over the Utah Jazz on Thursday. It was a gutsy performance by the defending champions who preserved their five-game lead atop the Western Conference standings. At 68-7, the Warriors now own the best 75-game start in NBA history.
Starring for the Warriors in this critical victory was Stephen Curry. He scored 31 points against the Jazz, including six straight in overtime. The reigning MVP also had seven rebounds and four assists in this ballgame. Curry has been magnificent for the Warriors this campaign, averaging 30 points, 6.5 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game this season. Also playing a huge part in Golden State’s victory was Klay Thompson. He scored 18 points, including the game-tying 3-pointer with 15 seconds remaining in regulation.
The league leaders will look to sustain the momentum of that huge win when they square off with the Boston Celtics later tonight. For the Warriors to accomplish that feat, they will need to continue their excellent play on the defensive end. The Warriors are fifth in the NBA in team defensive efficiency, allowing just 1.004 points per possession this season. They will have their work cut out for them, however, against a Boston attack that’s fifth in the NBA in scoring, averaging 105.6 points per game this season.
The Warriors are 5-0 SU and 1-3-1 ATS in their last five meetings with the Celtics.
