On Sunday afternoon, the Boston Celtics welcome the Golden State Warriors to TD Garden. For the hosts, it’s about pride.
The 2022 NBA Finals ended with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson celebrating on the parquet. And for all the Celtics have going for them this season, when these two teams squared off in San Francisco in late December, the Warriors stuck it to them again.
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With Green absent and Thompson struggling, Golden State entered the final frame down by 11. Curry had only 13 points. He finished with a game-high 33, leading the way as the hosts outscored the C’s 46 to 29 across the fourth quarter and overtime, rallying for a 132-126 victory.
Now, they meet in Boston at a time when the Celtics are riding a ten-game winning streak, the longest in the NBA this season. They’re beating opponents by an average of 19.1 points in that stretch.
But this Finals rematch, in some ways still a measuring stick for the hosts, is facing a Warriors team in a much better place than it was when they previously met.
Golden State is 8-2 in its last ten tilts. Jonathan Kuminga’s made a significant leap, and Green will be in the lineup.
Boston may also have to overcome the absence of Kristaps Porzingis. After taking a knee to the thigh in Friday’s 138-110 thrashing of the Dallas Mavericks, the seven-foot-three center is questionable for Sunday’s contest due to a left quad contusion.
The former All-Star did not play in the first meeting between the C’s and Warriors this season because of left calf strain injury management stemming from an injury sustained against the Orlando Magic a day after Thanksgiving.
