SAN FRANCISCO _ In a season defined by moral victories, the Golden State Warriors may have gotten another one in Saturday's 105-100 loss to the Boston Celtics. However, they may have also suffered another team-altering injury.
The Warriors (2-11) entered the game against the Eastern Conference contending Celtics (10-1) with a five-game losing streak and the NBA's worst-rated defense. The Celtics, meanwhile, entered the night winners of nine straight and the NBA's top scoring offense. However, it was Golden State's defense and a cold night for Boston's offense that led to a performance the Warriors can feel good about.
With a new starting lineup that swapped the defensive-minded Eric Paschall for rookie gunner Jordan Poole, the Warriors pounced on the Celtics' shaky shooting to take a 27-12 first-quarter lead. It would be the biggest lead for either team in a game that came down to the final seconds.
Boston quickly used a 12-2 run to cut into Golden State's lead in the second quarter, led by Jayson Tatum, who scored 12 of his 24 points in the period. Then guard Kemba Walker scored his first points of the game, first on a 3-pointer and then, after getting fouled on another 3-point attempt, making all three shots at the line to give the Celtics their first lead since the game's opening minutes.
Meanwhile, after shooting 50% in the first quarter, the Warriors' offense stalled, scoring just 19 points in the second. After leading by 15 points, the Warriors trailed 52-51 at halftime.
Midway through the third quarter, D'Angelo Russell went to the locker room with a right thumb sprain. After a 10-point first quarter, Russell had been struggling, scoring just two more points and committing nine turnovers with a thumb that was bothering him. The Warriors turned the ball over 11 total times in the third quarter alone.
The offense clicked back into gear in the final frame. Alec Burks' layup and Glenn Robinson III's putback with less than nine minutes to go capped off a 13-4 run to open up the quarter and retake the lead, 84-80.
With 1:39 left in the game, the Warriors led by one before back-to-back baskets by Tatum put the Celtics up 100-97 with 1:05 remaining. Burks' 3-pointer rimmed out with 40 seconds left, followed by Walker's fadeaway jumper that sealed the Warriors' fate.
Burks stepped up in Russell's absence, finishing the game with 20 points, including going 11 of 12 at the free throw line. Paschall finished with 16 points and eight rebounds while forward Draymond Green added 11 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in his best performance since returning from a torn ligament in his finger.
During the losing streak, Warriors coach Steve Kerr often talked about the frustrations of losing games despite acknowledging the reality of a rebuilding season. Losses that pile up can put a heavy weight on team morale. Still, their may be a moral victory to take out of Saturday's close loss.
On the heels of a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday, confidence was teetering. Kerr went with a new, oversized starting lineup that put forwards Paschall and Green on the floor together with a center. Kerr's experiment seemed to give some life to the worst-rated defense in the league.
The performance may give the Warriors a confidence boost as they prepare to embark on a four-game trip through New Orleans, Memphis, Dallas and Utah.
