The Boston Celtics absolutely demolished the Golden State Warriors 125-85 on Monday night, handing them their worst home loss in 40 years.
It wasn’t even close. The Celtics made the Warriors look like a completely different team from the dynasty that dominated the NBA just a few years ago.
The game got really ugly in the third quarter, when Boston dropped 43 points on Golden State’s usually solid defense.
“We’ve got to flush this one down the toilet and get ready for Sac,” a frustrated Steve Kerr said after the game. It was his worst home loss in 10 years as Warriors head coach.
Just how bad was it? The Warriors haven’t lost this badly at home since 1985, when the Dallas Mavericks beat them by 45.
The numbers tell a painful story:
โข 34% shooting from the field
โข Just 26% from three-point range
โข A miserable 63% on free throws
Jayson Tatum led the way for Boston, scoring over 20 points for the eighth time in nine games. Kristaps Porzingis added 18 points, while Jaylen Brown chipped in 17.
The Warriors had some excuses – they’re dealing with injuries to Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, and Kyle Anderson. Plus, Draymond Green is out with a calf strain and might even get traded soon.
But that doesn’t make this loss any easier to swallow.
The Warriors now sit at 21-21, good for 11th place in a loaded Western Conference. They’re just outside the playoff spots, though betting odds still give them a decent chance of making it.
While Monday’s 40-point beatdown was rough, it’s not even close to the Warriors’ worst loss ever. That came back in 1971-72, when the Lakers crushed them by 63 points in Los Angeles.
For a team that’s won four NBA championships under Kerr, nights like this are a harsh reminder of how quickly things can change in the NBA.
