The Warriors return home from a long road trip to host the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.
Warriors vs. CelticsWednesday, March 87:30 p.m.Oracle Arena
WATCH: CSN Bay Area, ESPN
RADIO: 95.7 The Game, Warriors Radio Network
HOME AT LAST
After a grueling five-game road trip, the Warriors will play their first home game in 11 days when they host the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night. This will be the second and final matchup between the two teams this season after the Warriors prevailed 104-88 in their first encounter back on November 18th. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Watch the action on CSN Bay Area and ESPN,, or listen to the call on 95.7 The Game on the Warriors Radio Network.
LAST TIME OUT
It took a lot of pride and a lot of grit, but the Warriors concluded their longest road trip of the season with a 119-111 win over the Hawks on Monday. Full Recap
MATCHUP AT A GLANCE
GSW
52-11
1st in West
117.5 PPG (1st)
44.5 RPG (7th)
30.7 APG (1st)
BOS
40-24
2nd in East
107.9 PPG (9th)
41.5 RPG (27th)
24.9 APG (3rd)
PROJECTED STARTERS
GSW: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Patrick McCaw, Draymond Green and Zaza Pachulia
BOS: Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Jaylen Brown, Jae Crowder and Amir Johnson
INJURY & ROSTER NOTES
GSW: Kevin Durant (left knee) is out. Damian Jones (D-League assignment) is not with team. Team Notes
BOS: Al Horford (right elbow sprain) and Jonas Jerebko (upper respiratory infection) are questionable. Team Notes
SUPPORTING CAST
End of a long road trip, playing their second game in as many nights, facing an early deficit with Klay Thompson and Draymond Green in foul trouble. Yes, the odds were stacked against the Warriors on Monday, but thanks to a clutch performance from Golden State’s reserves, the Dubs came back to win that game to secure yet another winning road trip. It was the Warriors’ 14th consecutive road trip of four-or-more games in which they finished .500 or better, which extends a franchise record. Down essentially three starters midway through the second quarter, Steve Kerr turned to his bench to get the Warriors back in the game, and they responded terrifically. Golden State’s bench ended up accounting for 55 points in the victory over the Hawks, just the fifth time this season they’ve topped the 50-point threshold. No reserve played a bigger role than Andre Iguodala, who scored a season-high 24 points on just eight field goal attempts. When Iguodala scores like that, the Warriors have been essentially unbeatable, as they’ve won every contest in which Iguodala has scored at least 20 points (15-0 mark in the regular season and playoffs). The bench surge couldn’t have come at a better time for Golden State, and the more frequently they contribute at that level, the more success the Warriors are bound to experience down the backstretch of the season.
TEAM LEADERS
GSW
PTS: Durant (25.3)
REB: Durant (8.2)
AST: Green (7.2)
BOS
PTS: Thomas (29.5)
REB: Horford (6.6)
AST: Thomas (6.2)
BOSTON SCOUTING REPORT
The Celtics haven’t yet clinched a playoff berth, but they will certainly be in the postseason when that time comes. At 40-24, they currently possess the second-best record in the Eastern Conference and are 2.5 games ahead of Toronto for the top spot in the Atlantic Division. That said, Boston has gone through a bit of a rough patch as of late, having lost five of their last eight games including each of their last two. Isaiah Thomas has taken his game to another level this season and is amongst the league’s leading MVP candidates, which is further cemented by the fact that he’s led Boston in scoring in each of their last 28 games. Five of the last seven meetings between the Warriors and Celtics have gone down to the wire, and when the two sides meet for the final time this season on Wednesday, it would come as a shock to very few if it played out that way yet again.