Warriors Beat Boston on the Road, 118-112; Suns Too Hot for the Heat at Home
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 07 Nov 2024
Before Boston hosted Golden State, one writer said the Celtics are looking like the record setting Warriors team that won 73 games in the 2016 NBA season.
After the game held at the TD Garden, the first meeting this season between the two teams, what was apparent is that Boston could not be so without a complete line-up. And that Golden State can be a great championship team again given its current line-up.
Taking the initiative after a flat start that saw Boston bolting to a huge early lead, the Warriors did not trail again in posting a 118-112 victory over the Celtics and pinning Boston its first home loss of the young season.
It's bad that Boston was still without its regular starting center Kristaps Porzingis. The Celtics also played without their dependable starting forward Jalen Brown. Coach Joe Mazzula again used Nehemias Quetta at center and Al Horford at forward joining regulars Jason Tatum, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday as Celtics starters. Held at reserves were Peyton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Luke Kornet and Joe Walsh, the only other Celtics in uniform for this game.
Coach Steve Kerr meanwhile started with Trayce Jackson Davis at center, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins at forwards and Stephen Curry and Moses Moody at guards. Coming off the bench were Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson, Jonathan Kuminga, Gary Payton II, Lundy Waters III and Kevon Looney.
For a while, the combination clicked as in the past Celtics won games. But once Stephen Curry and the Warriors got going, the Celtics just as soon surrendered the initiative with Golden State taking a 51-40 halftime lead.
Despite a 41 points third quarter, Boston never came to regaining control of the lead as Kerr again rotated his full bench in helping Curry sustain the Warriors advantage in virtually every department.
Curry made history in this game by moving ahead of Charles Barkley in the 30th spot in the all time scoring list of the league. He is also within the 29th spot currently held by Demar Derozan.
Curry top scored again for the Warriors for the second time since coming back from three games off due to injury. Curry was almost everywhere in scoring 27 points, pulling down 7 rebounds and issuing 9 assists. He was supported by Wiggins and Hield with 16 points each. The much improved Anderson had 11 points, including 3/3 from the three point area while Kuminga added 10 points. Looney had a team high 10 rebounds. Moody and Green chipped in 9 points each in another well balanced Warriors scoring evening.
Boston was led by Tatum with a night high 32 points followed by White with 26 points. Pritchard came off the bench with 16 points. Quetta contributed with 14 points and Horford added 10 points. Holiday pulled down a team high 9 rebounds to go with his measly six points.
Meanwhile, another season hot starting team, the Phoenix Suns proved too hot to handle in their homecourt as they singed the visiting Miami Heat, 115-112. New addition Russell Westbrook made his mark as he led the Suns scorching offense together with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.
The win pulled the Suns at par with the Warriors at the top of the Western Conference at 7-1 in tie with the Oklahoma City Thunder which saw their seven games winning streak cut on the road by rival Denver Nuggets, 124-122.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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