Look out, Denver Nuggets.
If it wasn’t obvious enough already, the Boston Celtics are the biggest threats to the reigning champions going back-to-back this season.
And while the Nuggets, who have won six games since the All-Star break, deserve plenty of respect as defending champions it’s not hard to see why Boston is favoured to win its first title since 2008.
Of course, Boston has been in and around the championship picture the last five seasons, going to the Conference Finals twice while also going down to Golden State in the NBA Finals.
But this feels different and this looks different.
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NBA Wrap: Tatum talks up Celtics | 02:41
Just ask the Warriors, who had turned a corner recently to rise up the Western Conference standings and firmly into the playoff picture.
Golden State had won 13 of its past 16 games before running into Boston on Monday morning. It was supposed to be an early litmus test of sorts — and the results were resounding.
The Warriors were no match for the Celtics, who ran up a score to take the largest halftime lead (82-38) in franchise history, eventually going on to win 140-88.
It was the largest regular-season loss of Steph Curry’s career according to ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, while Boston became the first team in NBA history to win three games by over 50 points in a season.
The numbers at halftime laid out just how dominant Boston was, shooting 60.0 and 62.5 per cent from the field and downtown respectively compared to just 34.9 and 16.7 for Golden State.
Superstar duo Jaylen Brown (25 points) and Jayson Tatum (22) combined to outscore the Warriors by themselves while Derrick White had 11 points and six assists in the first half.
What made Boston’s blowout opening half even more impressive was the fact it came without Kristaps Porzingis, who missed Monday’s game with a left quad contusion.
Richard Jefferson described it as a “perfect half of basketball” from the Celtics, declaring they had put the entire league on notice.
“This is maybe as good as any team has played in the first half this season,” Jefferson said.
“I think the entire league needs to be watching what the Boston Celtics are doing and understanding that they are the team to beat.
“I understand that the Denver Nuggets are the defending champions but to me there is no greater threat to them really going on a run and winning a couple than what the Boston Celtics are presenting this season.”
“They are so jaw-droppingly good right now, you just feel the need to keep exclaiming [that fact]. They are just in such an incredible rhythm right now,” Ryan Ruocco added.
“Up and down the roster, Brad Stevens has to be enamoured with the way this squad is playing.”
It wasn’t just on the offensive side of the ball that the Celtics were excelling, also putting the clamps on Curry, who missed all nine of his 3-point attempts in the half.
“They are just harassing him… he is just not seeing any daylight,” Jefferson said.
Golden State’s 38 points were the fewest it had scored in any half this season while the 82 scored by Boston was the most it had given up.
KNICKS HOLDING BREATH AFTER SCARY BRUNSON INCIDENT
It was the scariest scene possible for Knicks fans: Jalen Brunson leaving the court with an apparent non-contact injury.
Brunson, the point guard who held the Knicks together all season, rose for a jumper and appeared to be in pain as he lifted off, landing with shock and discomfort on his face before throwing up an airball in the opening minute of Sunday’s game against the Cavaliers.
The sight was much more frightening than the official update from the Knicks, who, in the middle of the second quarter, called Brunson “questionable” to return with a sore left knee.
The origin of the injury remained unclear as Brunson sat for the remainder of the first half, never re-emerging from the locker room.
Although he was untouched by defender Isaac Okoro while lifting for the jumper, an extended replay showed Brunson banged his leg on Isaiah Hartenstein as he ran around the screen.
He elevated in pain on the same possession, a few seconds after the collision with Hartenstein.
Brunson limped to the 3-point line, held his knee/shin area and called for a sub.
A trainer emerged and helped carry Brunson off the court, along with teammate Precious Achiuwa.
Brunson couldn’t put weight on his left foot, which gave way as he was helped into the locker room.
The Knicks announced Brunson has a sore left knee and is questionable to return.
A prolonged absence from Brunson would be a disaster for the Knicks, who are already down Julius Randle and OG Anunoby because of injuries.
But neither is as important as Brunson, who is the team’s leading scorer and putting together a season worthy of All-NBA consideration.
He entered the night averaging 27.7 points and 6.7 assists, less than a month removed from his first All-Star appearance.
The 27-year-old Brunson has played in 57 of a possible 60 games this season despite two sprained ankles earlier in the season.
Miles McBride subbed out Brunson and played the remainder of the first quarter.
The Knicks are already in the process of signing pending free agent Shake Milton, a point guard who was recently waived by the Pistons.
But Milton couldn’t begin to replace Brunson with 22 games remaining in the season. The Knicks entered Sunday fourth in the East but just 1 ½ games out of the eighth seed, setting up the potential of a quick collapse if Brunson is out for a while.
Before the game, Cleveland coach JB Bickerstaff explained how the Knicks’ offense goes through their point guard.
“Without Randle it’s a lot of Jalen Brunson, not that he wasn’t heavily involved, but the majority of their stuff goes through him and obviously he’s proven that he’s capable of carrying a team,” Bickerstaff said.
Nuggets win NBA finals rematch | 01:04
CLIPPERS, SIXERS SCORE CRUCIAL WINS
Elsewhere, the Minnesota Timberwolves fell from the West lead after losing at home 89-88 to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Kawhi Leonard’s two free throws with 13 seconds remaining gave the Clippers an 89-86 lead. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards drove to the basket for a dunk with three seconds remaining but never got the ball back.
Leonard led the Clippers with 32 points while James Harden went 0-for-10 from the floor, 0-for-6 from 3-point range, and had only four points.
Edwards led Minnesota with 27 points.
At Dallas, Mavericks star Luka Doncic posted a triple double in a losing cause as the visiting Philadelphia 76ers took a 120-116 triumph.
Tobias Harris scored 28 points, Tyrese Maxey added 24 and Kelly Oubre Jr. had 21 off the bench for the Sixers (35-25), who remain without injured reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid.
Doncic finished with 38 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists while Kyrie Irving added 28 points for Dallas, which fell to 34-27, eighth in the Western Conference.
— AFP