Banner Town Breakdown: Celtics Pick up Much Needed Win Over Warriors
Credit: Noah Graham | NBAE via Getty Images
The Celtics were able to pull off the win over the Warriors, 111-107. Jayson Tatum led the way for the C’s with 27 points and 9 rebounds. He shot a solid 9-19 overall including 4-10 from three. Kemba Walker was able to avenge his rough outing against the Lakers on Saturday, as he scored 19 points, dished 5 assists, and had no turnovers. Jaylen Brown had a quiet night by his standards. He had just 18 points (which says a lot when 18 isn’t much for him) and 10 rebounds. However, Brown was key in the fourth-quarter run that Boston put together to get some separation from the Dubs.
Boston headed into the Chase Center on Tuesday night in need of a win. They’d lost their last two games, including a heartbreaker to the rival Los Angeles Lakers.
Walker looked ready to go right out of the gates. He started the game with two quick buckets for Boston’s first five points. Tristan Thompson was able to get going as well, putting in a few hooks to break his cold streak. The defense wasn’t there early on though. The Celtics allowed the best shooter in history, Steph Curry, to get three wide-open looks from three early on. Boston found themselves down 16-11 at the first time out, but Walker continued to fuel the offense after the break. He scored the next 4 points for Boston, giving himself an early nine.
He then dished a pretty pass to an open Grant Williams, who drilled the corner three to tie the game at 18. Curry continued to pour it on for Golden State. He racked up a quick 15 points to help extend the Warrior lead to five at the second timeout with 2:24 remaining in the quarter. After Walker went to the bench, Tatum started to play more aggressively and scored the last six first-quarter points for the C’s. They trailed 35-24 after one.
The Celtics got to see old friend, Brad Wanamaker, early in the second while Curry got some rest. He contributed to a strong defensive possession where the C’s committed a shot clock violation.
You can always count on Jeff Teague to raise the blood pressure a bit.
Regardless, Teague scored a quick five points to make up for his poor playmaking a few possessions prior. Tatum continued to be assertive. He scored a quick five points himself to help the Celtics cut the lead down to four.
After a quick timeout, Daniel Theis nailed one of his easy money mid-range jumpers. The Warriors came down the other end and Kelly Oubre smoked a wide-open dunk leading to an easy Tatum three to give Boston the lead, 39-38. They continued to keep up the pressure and forced Golden State to burn another timeout as they opened the quarter on a 19-5 run.
The Warriors brought Curry back into the game and immediately made an impact. He nailed back to back jumpers and helped his squad regain the lead. Some gritty defense by both teams helped to usher out the half, where both teams found themselves knotted at 52.
The Celtics started the second half off on the right foot with a step back Tatum three.
They followed that up with some gritty plays. First, both Thompson and Theis grabbed offensive rebounds to keep an offensive possession alive, resulting in a Jaylen Brown layup. On the other end, Walker took a big-time charge on Oubre to give him his fourth foul of the night. Behind the gritty play, Boston was able to extend the lead to six before a Golden State timeout.
The two teams exchanged buckets throughout the middle part of the quarter. A nice Javonte Green steal and slam was followed by a Juan Toscano-Anderson three-ball on the other end, cutting the lead back to six. Brown converted a layup after a nice drive to the cup, but then Golden State pieced together a quick 6-0 run to cut the lead to just two. The Celtics were able to fight off back to back three from Curry as the quarter was winding down. Grant Williams showed Curry that he could hit step-back threes himself, drilling a big one over Draymond Green.
The C’s found themselves up 86-85 heading into the fourth.
Tatum once again opened the scoring in the fourth with yet another three. Wanamaker was quickly able to match with a three of his own to bring the Warriors back to within one. Boston went cold for a stretch (anyone surprised?) and allowed Golden State to go up by three. Brown put an end to that, once again slashing to the cup.
On the next possession, it was Tatum’s turn. The 19-year-old drilled a corner three to force a Warriors timeout and to put the squad back up 96-94.
Chef Curry wasted no time tying up the score yet again with a nice drive. The Celtics responded with a 10-0 run behind some fire from Brown and Walker. Kemba drilled a three coming off of a screen and then JB got to the rim and drew a foul on the following possession. They capped off the run with a thunderous dunk from Brown as the Warriors needed a timeout.
It was Grant who got things started though. He had a big put-back dunk and then blocked a dunk attempt from Oubre on the defensive end.
Curry once again got a bucket for Golden State out of a timeout. He finished an acrobatic layup through some contact and to the line for the and-1. Coach Stevens called a timeout with his team up 7 with 2:52 to go. A missed three from Theis and then a Grant Williams turnover allowed the Warriors to get back within four with two minutes to play. After a Theis free throw and a stop on defense, the C’s had a chance to ice the game. Kemba got himself to the basket and made a great pass to an open Brown who was off on the three. A long outlet pass allowed Andrew Wiggins to get a transition layup to bring the Warriors to within three. Boston needed a score on their next possession. It was looking like that’s what they’d get when Tatum made a nice drive to the basket. He was fouled before he got the layup off but was still able to make two free throws. Williams got in on the free throw fun the next possession and made both of his to increase the lead to seven. Golden State never got closer than the final deficit, with Boston getting the much-needed win, 111-107.
Kemba Walker was proud of his squad after the big win.
Walker said that the team was able to find some fire by getting into each other after the first time out.
As far as his comeback is concerned, he didn’t seem too concerned.
He said,
“It takes time to get into a rhythm. It’s what, my seventh game? It’s going to take time. My teammates and coaches believe in me so I’m going to keep just putting my work in and continue to work.”
Grant Williams had his best game of the season, finishing with 15 points on 4-4 shooting including 3-3 from deep.
Coach Stevens had some praise for the second-year man.
“I thought he did a lot of good things for us today. It’s hard because you have to be up on all those screens with Curry, and you have to be physical. I thought he did a great job at both of those tonight.”
The Celtics will be back in action Wednesday night when they visit the Sacramento Kings. You can catch that game on NBC Sports Boston at 10 PM EST.
