5 stats that defined the Celtics’ 40-point victory over the Warriors
This was their sixth-biggest road win since 2000.
Two nights after collapsing against the Hawks, the Celtics responded with a dominant, 125-85, road win over the Warriors on Monday.
Here are five stats that defined the evening:
1. They hit the magic number – 20 3-pointers.
The Celtics shot 20 of 48 (41.7 percent) from 3-point range, moving to 14-1 on the season when making 20-plus.
Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis, and Sam Hauser led the way with three apiece, and Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Payton Pritchard, and Jordan Walsh added two each.
Rookie Baylor Scheierman buried his first career 3-pointer as well.
2. They held the Warriors to 26.4 percent from 3-point range.
On the other end, Boston limited Golden State to 14 of 53 (26.4 percent) from distance.
Stephen Curry was 4 for 12 from 3, and 6 of 16 overall, which the Celtics will take every time. With a shorthanded Warriors roster, they likely would have needed a red-hot Curry to have a shot in this one.
The Warriors tried to beat the Celtics at their own game, launching 53 3-pointers, but no individual player shot better than 33 percent.
3. The Celtics gobbled up 50 rebounds.
The Celtics entered Monday averaging 45.2 rebounds per game, which is the ninth-best mark in the league. They exceeded that total against Golden State, securing 50 rebounds – including 42 on the defensive glass – compared to 38 for the Warriors.
Golden State thrives off chaos and hustle plays, and the Celtics made sure to never let Trayce Jackson-Davis or Andrew Wiggins find a rhythm on the boards.
Against an undersized opponent, Tatum secured nine rebounds and Porzingis added seven. The Celtics used their length to their advantage, consistently looking for Porzingis in the paint when Curry or other undersized players were on him.
4. Payton Pritchard had nine of the team’s 34 assists.
While much has been made of Pritchard’s scoring prowess – and for good reason – he also continues to help the Celtics as a facilitator.
Pritchard, who racked up nine assists Monday, probed early and often made life easier for his teammates. The Celtics are 4-0 when Pritchard has eight or more assists.
As a team, Boston had 34 assists – one shy of its season high.
5. This was their sixth-biggest road win since 2000.
According to Celtics radio voice Sean Grande, this was the team’s sixth-most-lopsided road win since 2000.
The Celtics, who led the Warriors by 56 in Boston last March, built their ninth 30-point lead of the season. Over the last two years, they’ve had 60 19-point leads and seven 19-point deficits, per Grande.
For a Celtics team that entered 8-8 in its last 16, this was a significant step in the right direction. Now, of course, the key is sustaining it.
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