You had to pinch yourself to believe it… In the second quarter of the match against the Warriors, the Celtics already led by 40 points (74-34). Enough to imagine a record spanking, especially when we discovered that Steve Kerr had decided to do without Stephen Curry after the break. At the finish, Boston won by 52 points (140-88), and it was their third victory of the season by 50 points or more. This is unheard of in NBA history!
Never seen, either, this average gap of 22 points over their last eleven matches. Never has a team dominated the NBA like the Celtics have done since the end of January. Over the last six victories, the average gap even reached 30 points, and again, it is an absolute record over such a period. That’s better than the 1972/73 Lakers.
“It’s a great feeling, but at the same time, you always have to be humble,” recalls Jalen Brown. “We don’t take anything for granted. We don't come to do anything and that's how we show our respect for the game. We only take care of ourselves. We have a lot of respect for the Warriors, but we believe our time has come.”
Opposite, the Warriors were out of breath after eight away victories, and a plane problem between matches against the Knicks and Raptors. But we must also not forget that the Celtics still have this defeat in the NBA finals in their throats in 2022. This 52-point victory is also a way to send a message and assert their domination over the league this year. season.
Jaylen Brown stung by “lack of respect”
For Brown, in particular, it was also a way to punish them for “their lack of respect.” The Warriors defense had decided to ignore him wide. He took revenge with 19 points in the first quarter and three consecutive 3-point baskets in 40 seconds!
“It was nothing personal, but it was a little disrespectful to me,” emphasizes Brown. ” But it's like that…. This is the first time this has happened to me, and honestly, I was a little surprised. It took a bit of adaptation and I think we took advantage of this choice to get the most out of it. I did what I do best, and my teammates gave me the means to act. They told me: 'We don't care if you're going to hit all your shots.' »
For Stephen Curry, spared after a failed first half, the Celtics are sure of their basketball, and that makes the difference. Like with the Warriors in the mid-2010s… “In the way they play, they seem very sure of themselves and their identity”notes Curry. “You have to give them credit. They beat us up from the start, and it turned into a complete debacle for us. »
