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The Boston Celtics became the first team in NBA to put up three victories of 50 points or more – doing so in a demoralizing 140-88 beatdown on the Golden State Warriors.
Jaylen Brown led the way for the team, dropping 29 points in just 22 minutes on an efficient 11-for-19 shooting line and hitting half his sH๏τs from 3-point range.
Warriors forward Draymond Green admitted that the team agreed on a defensive gameplan ‘like 15 minutes’ before the game began.
That led to Brown getting multiple uncontested looks – a defensive strategy the guard called ‘disrespectful, but we took advantage of it’.
At halftime, Boston was 82-38 – the most lopsided halftime lead in the team’s 78-year history.
The Boston Celtics dominated the Golden State Warriors, winning 140-88 on Sunday
A switch in defensive scheming allowed Jaylen Brown to lead the way with 29 points
“This is an epic ʙuтт whooping. This is so bad Kendrick Perkins needs to take off that suit… We want to apologize to the American people.”Stephen A. Smith on the Warriors getting absolutely DOMINATED by the Celtics in the first half 🗣pic.twitter.com/ycB0qxvc4e
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 3, 2024
It was at that interval that ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith took stock of the situation and apologized on the Warriors’ behalf for ‘an epic ʙuтт whipping’
‘None of us thought this coming,’ Smith said. ‘We want to apologize to the American people for what we just saw in this first half.
‘We ain’t seen that. That could have happened to me. It might as well be me out there limping, playing against Boston. That’s how bad Golden State [is playing].’
The Celtics sH๏τ 60 percent from the field in the first half (30 of 50), when they committed one turnover. The Warriors trailed by as many as 45 points in the second quarter. Each team rested its starters for all or most of the second half.
Jaylen Brown led Boston with 29 points, and Jayson Tatum added 27 on his 26th birthday. Boston made 25 of 49 3-pointers (51 percent) in the win.
Lester Quinones tossed in a team-high 17 points for the Warriors, who trailed 115-62 after three quarters. Boston led by as many as 56 points in the fourth.
Stephen Curry went 2-for-13 from the field (0-for-9 from 3-point territory) in the first half and finished the game with four points. He did not play in the second half. Klay Thompson (six points) sat out the second half because of a hamstring injury.
The loss ended Golden State’s eight-game road winning streak.
Draymond Green said the Warriors agreed to switch their defense 15 minutes before tip off
The Warriors saw their eight-game road winning streak end in Boston on Sunday
Center Kristaps Porzingis wasn’t available for the Celtics because of a left quad contusion. Porzingis has averaged 20.3 points and 6.9 rebounds in 44 games (all starts) for Boston this season.
The Celtics made 10 3-pointers in the first quarter for a 44-22 advantage. It was 21-21 with 6:05 left in the quarter, but the Celtics scored the next 14 points. Boston scored 23 of the final 24 points in the frame.
Brown made five of Boston’s 10 3-pointers in the first and finished the quarter with 19 points.
The Celtics outscored the Warriors 38-16 in the second quarter to build their 44-point halftime lead. Tatum scored 20 points in the second quarter and had 22 points at the half.
It was the second meeting between the teams this season. Golden State earned a 132-126 victory in overtime when it played Boston at home on Dec. 19.
