addByline("Taylor C. Snow", "Celtics.com", "taylorcsnow");
Here are five things to watch out for when the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors meet at 10:30 p.m. tonight at Oracle Arena.
Drawing Inspiration
When the Celtics step into Oracle Arena tonight, it will surely draw positive memories from the epic win they pulled off last time they were in Oakland.
Last April, Boston halted Golden State’s NBA-record 54-game home winning streak with a 109-106 victory and stormed the court after accomplishing what no team had done in more than 14 months.
It was the highest note of the 2015-16 campaign for the Celtics, and one of the most memorable games of the NBA season.
Boston could use another win like that tonight to boost its spirits and snap out of its two-game losing spell.
Golden State boasts the top home record in the league again this season with a 26-3 mark, but the C’s know they can beat this Warriors team on their home court.
Hopefully the positive memories from last season’s monumental win in Oakland can give Boston an extra lift tonight when they return to Oracle.
Post-KD Identity Search
One aspect that could work in Boston’s favor tonight is that the Warriors have been struggling to cope with the loss of star forward Kevin Durant.
Durant suffered an MCL sprain and a bone bruise last Tuesday and will be sidelined indefinitely.
The Warriors are 2-2 since the injury occurred, which is not surprising seeing as Durant is their leading scorer, rebounder and shot-blocker.
This is a great opportunity for the Celtics to take advantage of Golden State’s adjustment period.
Horford’s Value Proven in Absence
By a similar token, Boston struggled to produce without its top frontcourt man, Al Horford, over the last two games.
Horford sprained his elbow during Friday’s win in Los Angeles and missed the following two contests. Boston’s offense seemed a bit off-kilter during his absence as it dropped consecutive tilts against the Suns and the Clippers.
The Celtics are 33-17 this season with Horford on the court, compared to just 7-7 without him.
It's evident that Boston misses Horford's elite playmaking abilities and staunch defense when he is not on the court; fortunately, that won't be the case tonight. Horford revealed to reporters this morning that he will return to the lineup tonight, which is vital news as the Celtics prepare to face off against the top team in the NBA.
Backcourt Battle
While both teams' frontcourts may be a little banged up tonight, their respective backcourts are primed to face off in a tremendous battle.
Offensively, the tandems are as similar as can be. Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley are averaging a combined 46.6 points per game and 8.5 assists per game, while Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are averaging a combined 46.7 PPG and 8.4 APG.
Interestingly, three of those four players were held under 20 points the last time they faced off.
Thomas was limited to a season-low 18 points during the Nov. 18 matchup in Boston, while Curry scored 16 points on 7-of-20 shooting from the field, including a 2-of-10 clip from 3-point range.
Thompson scored a game-high 28 points during the contest, while Bradley chipped in with 17 in the scoring column for Boston.
Curry’s Shooting Woes
Steph Curry doesn’t experience shooting slumps often, but his efficiency has been way off over the last five games.
During Golden State’s five-game, Eastern Conference road trip, Curry shot just 39.5 percent from the field and 25.4 percent from beyond the arc.
Those are major dips from his previous 57 games, during which he shot 47.0 percent from the field and 41.5 percent from 3-point land.
Curry’s job won’t be made any easier tonight when he goes up against one of the top on-ball defenders in the league in Bradley.