Primetime matchups between great teams don't always live up to the hype, but the Golden State Warriors' 115-111 win over the Boston Celtics on Saturday night certainly did. The two talented teams went shot-for-shot all night long, with All-Star players making big play after big play from opening tip to the final buzzer. It was just a tremendous game, the type everyone hopes for when they sit down in front of the TV or file into the arena.
Kyrie Irving finished with 32 points, six rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Celtics, while Al Horford added 22 points and 13 rebounds. As for the Warriors, their big three combined for 78 points; Kevin Durant scored a game-high 33 points, Steph Curry went for 24 and Klay Thompson had 21.
The Warriors are just too much
This isn't a new or unique take, but man, the Warriors have a lot of talent, and it certainly stood out on Saturday night as they extended their winning streak to 10 games. If there was any doubt about them earlier in the season when they were dealing with their drama, they've certainly put that to bed. There's just no respite for opposing teams, especially now that DeMarcus Cousins has returned from his torn Achilles.
At any point they can have as many as five All-Stars on the floor, and are always playing with at least one. All that talent allows for guys to have off stretches, or even off nights, because there's always someone to back them up. Thompson made a bunch of shots early, then was barely heard from before showing up with some big buckets late in the game. Curry didn't score in the first quarter, then poured in 17 in the second. All the while, Durant is just chipping away, getting a bucket here, a bucket there until he has 30-something. Even against other talented teams, the Warriors' group usually wins out.
Celtics' free throw disparity strikes again
The Celtics are one of the best free-throw shooting teams in the league in terms of percentage, knocking down over 80 percent of their attempts. Unfortunately for them, they barely get there. For the season, the Celtics are shooting less than 20 free throws per game, which is 28th in the league. Free throws are one of the highest percentage shots you can get, and the Celtics' inability to get to the line is one of the main reasons their offense hasn't been quite as good as everyone expected heading into the season.
Against the Warriors, that problem showed up again. The Celtics shot just 15 free throws on the night, just two more than Durant had by himself. On the other side, the Warriors got to the line for 34 foul shots and hit 29 of them. In a four-point win, the Warriors outscored the Celtics by 15 points at the free-throw line. That was a crucial factor in their victory.
Cousins brings highs and lows
Cousins' comeback tour continued with his most intense game yet. In what came as little surprise, there was plenty of good, but also some clear signs that he has barely played NBA basketball in the last year. Early on, Cousins showed his versatility and the extra dimension he brings to the Warriors' offense when he led the fastbreak and hit Durant with a perfect bounce pass. Plus, his ability to pop out and hit open shots is a skill that their other bigs don't have, and that helps open up the court for their other stars.
At the same time, the Celtics went at Cousins time and again in the pick-and-roll, and found success. Guarding a Kyrie Irving-Al Horford PNR would be a challenge on the best of days for Cousins, but especially this early, he just doesn't have the mobility to deal with that. Plus, he was a foul machine yet again, picking up five fouls by the third quarter -- a clear sign that he's still rusty and not used to the speed and flow of the game.
Tatum and Brown step up
One of the main reasons that everyone was so high on the Celtics this season was because of the play of their two young wings, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The duo was fantastic in the playoffs last year when the team was shorthanded, and they were expected to keep it up this season while the team also got Irving and Gordon Hayward back. However, Tatum and Brown have been inconsistent at times this season.
On Saturday night, however, they both had solid games, and that was a key factor in the Celtics' strong performance. Irving and Horford show up every night, and with them alone the Celtics are a good team, But when Tatum and Brown are playing well, they reach another level. That was the case on Saturday, as the young duo combined for 30 points and seven rebounds. It wasn't the best game either of them has ever played, but they made the contributions the Celtics need and helped their team compete with the league's best.
