The Warriors opened this year’s head-to-head on a similar note, beating the Celtics 118-112 in Boston on Nov. 6.
Stephen Curry paced Golden State with 27 points, but all eyes had been on Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, who was seeing Warriors coach Steve Kerr for the first time since winning a gold medal together with Team USA at last summer’s Paris Olympics. Tatum was benched twice by Kerr during the tournament despite winning an NBA championship just weeks earlier.
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Golden State enters Monday’s contest on a two-game winning streak but finished its 122-114 home victory over the Wizards on Saturday night without Curry and Draymond Green on the court.
Curry limped to the sidelines on a sore left ankle with 1:05 remaining in the game, while Green lasted just three minutes before he succumbed to a tight left calf. Green was scheduled for an MRI on Sunday.
The Warriors’ injury report Sunday listed Curry as questionable with a left ankle sprain, while Green was ruled out due to his calf strain.
Tip-off Monday is set for 5 p.m. Here’s a preview.
When: Monday, 5 p.m.
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco
TV, radio: TNT, WBZ-FM 98.5
Line: Boston -7. O/U: 224.0.
CELTICS
Season record: 29-13. vs. spread: 17-25. Over/under: 18-23, 1 push
-Last 10 games: 6-4. vs. spread: 5-5. Over/under: 3-7
WARRIORS
Season record: 21-20. vs. spread: 20-21. Over/under: 18-23
Last 10 games: 5-5. vs. spread: 4-6. Over/under: 5-5
TEAM STATISTICS
Points per game: Boston 117.5, Golden State 111.4
Points allowed per game: Boston 108.6, Golden State 110.8
Field goal percentage: Boston .457, Golden State .448
Opponent field goal percentage: Boston .453, Golden State .456
3-point percentage: Boston .362, Golden State .365
Opponent 3-point percentage: Boston .351, Golden State .357
Stat of the day: Monday’s game will feature four of the league’s top 10 leaders in 3-pointers. Stephen Curry has made 146 3’s, fourth most in the league. Jayson Tatum is tied for fifth with Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell with 143, Payton Pritchard is seventh with 141, and Derrick White is eighth at 133. Anthony Edwards of the Timberwolves leads the league with 179 3-pointers.
Notes: The Celtics have not dropped back-to-back games since losing to the 76ers on Christmas, 118-114 . . . Stephen Curry leads the NBA with a .938 free throw percentage (106-for-113) . . . So much has been made of the Celtics’ 3-point shooting this year, but they have the third-highest 2-point field goal percentage at .568 . . . The Celtics’ 11.9 turnovers per game is the fewest in the league . . . Warriors center/forward Kevon Looney might only average 16 minutes off the bench, but he is pulling down 3.0 offensive rebounds per game . . . Despite their 10-9 stretch, the Celtics still have the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 2½-game lead over the Knicks, meanwhile the Warriors’ struggles over the last eight weeks has them in the last spot in the play-in tournament in the Western Conference.
