BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – A dominant first half allowed the Boston Celtics to extend their winning streak to 11 games by beating the visiting Golden State Warriors 140-88 Sunday.
Boston made 15 of 24 3-point attempts in the first two quarters and led 82-38 at halftime. Boston’s 44-point halftime lead is the largest in the franchise’s history.
The Celtics shot 60 percent from the field in the first half (30 of 50), when they committed one turnover. The Warriors trailed by as many as 45 points in the second quarter. Each team rested its starters for all or most of the second half.
Jaylen Brown led Boston with 29 points, and Jayson Tatum added 27 on his 26th birthday. Boston made 25 of 49 3-pointers (51 percent) in the win.
Lester Quinones tossed in a team-high 17 points for the Warriors, who trailed 115-62 after three quarters. Boston led by as many as 56 points in the fourth.
Steph Curry went 2-of-13 from the field (0-for-9 from 3-point territory) in the first half and finished the game with four points. He did not play in the second half. Klay Thompson (six points) sat out the second half because of a hamstring injury.
The loss ended Golden State’s eight-game road winning streak.
Center Kristaps Porzingis wasn’t available for the Celtics because of a left quad contusion. Porzingis is averaging 20.3 points and 6.9 rebounds in 44 games (all starts) for Boston this season.
The Celtics made 10 3-pointers in the first quarter for a 44-22 advantage. It was 21-21 with 6:05 left in the quarter, but the Celtics scored the next 14 points. Boston scored 23 of the final 24 points in the quarter.
Brown made five of Boston’s 10 3-pointers in the first and finished the quarter with 19 points.
The Celtics outscored the Warriors 38-16 in the second quarter to build their 44-point halftime lead. Tatum scored 20 points in the second quarter and had 22 points at the half.
It was the second meeting between the teams this season. Golden State earned a 132-126 victory in overtime when it played Boston at home on Dec. 19.
–Field Level Media