The Golden State Warriors fell 121-110 to the Boston Celtics in a game that revealed both encouraging progress and glaring defensive concerns.
The debut of Kristaps Porzingis was the headline, but the Celtics’ road formidability and their execution without Jayson Tatum also deserve recognition.
Porzingis could’ve played more minutes in his debut
All eyes were on Porzingis in his Warriors debut, and the early returns were very promising.
In just 17 minutes, Porzingis scored 12 points and hit a pair of deep threes, prompting Boston to call timeouts.
His ability to space the floor above the break opened driving lanes and forced weak-side rotations — a dynamic Golden State has lacked in the frontcourt.
Porzingis also drew double teams, leaving the Warriors’ spot-up shooters on an island.
That will be a very interesting dynamic when teams have to pick their poison between him and Stephen Curry.
Porzingis’s own gravity sent a shockwave of confidence through the rotation, and offensively, Golden State showed real rhythm.
Five additional Warriors scored in double figures, including an electric burst from rookie Will Richard, who dropped 17 points — 11 of them in a tone-setting five-minute stretch in the first quarter.
Ball movement was crisp, tempo purposeful, and shot quality largely sustainable.
Porzingis made it clear postgame that he wants to ramp up his minutes “as quickly as possible,” with a larger role expected Sunday against the Denver Nuggets.
Poor defense from Golden State kept Boston in control
The issue for Golden State was poor defense. The Warriors surrendered 74 first-half points, and their aggressive blitzing of Jaylen Brown backfired.
Brown dissected double teams with tremendous poise, finishing with an impressive 23-point, 15-rebound, 13-assist triple-double.
His patience forced rotations into scramble mode, exposing Golden State’s delayed communication and exploiting it at every turn.
Expect more minutes from Porzingis as Curry rests his knee
Ultimately, integrating Porzingis appeared to momentarily supersede defensive sharpness — a balance the Warriors will quickly correct as he grows more comfortable.
Meanwhile, Curry continues to manage knee soreness.
The organization emphasized that he would play if the postseason began today, signaling precaution rather than panic.
He’s expected to be reevaluated in 10 days, and the Warriors have a two-day break before their next game on Sunday, aiming for a potential return on the 28th against the Lakers or March 2nd against the Clippers.
