The Boston Celtics fought in the second half but ultimately fell to the Golden State Warriors — the NBA’s top team. After beating a Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Milwaukee Bucks to improve to a .500 record a few days ago, the Celtics dropped below the mark once again to 14-15 on the year.
They had a strong third quarter after falling down early, outscoring the Warriors 27-14, but couldn’t hold in the fourth to lose 111-107. The Celtics just couldn’t string together the stops they needed down the stretch en route to the loss. The Celtics entered Friday’s game at a disadvantage, down five players due to health and safety protocols — including forwards Al Horford and Grant Williams.
This proved key as the Celtics missed Horford’s defensive presence in dealing with Steph Curry and a big night from Andrew Wiggins. They also missed his work on the glass, as the Warriors pounded the Celtics on the boards early.
Boston finished the night shooting 44.4% from the floor and 37.5% from beyond the arc, each of which were better than the Warriors. They just didn’t get it done at the line, despite ample opportunity, shooting 69.0% on 29 attempts.
Here are some player grades from the Celtics loss.