Last night’s 107-103 Loss to the Boston Celtics at TD Garden is one of those games where you’d be ecstatic to win, but aren’t all too disappointed when you lose. The defending Eastern Conference champions are so for a reason, and games like this show the Warriors that they can keep up with elite teams if they can turn up the intensity and play with some heart.
Head Coach Keith Smart had this to say after last nights loss:
Our intensity level went up, this was probably David Lee’s best game both offensively, and he did a great job defensively, and that’s what I’m saying to our guys who haven’t been pushed to play defense, he did a great job with that. But I just thought our intensity level went up, we became the aggressors. I
I’d have to agree with coach about David Lee, who’s 26 points and 12 boards came predominantly against Kevin Garnett, was as dominant and forceful that I’d seen him in a while, I guess he just needed a little push. Obviously if Monta is dropping 41 that he was playing with some intensity, even Biedrins looks like he was more confident and intense, but instead of getting up only to play teams like Boston the Warriors need to learn how to play for 48 minutes fully engaged on both ends of the floor, regardless of who they’re playing.
Steph Curry had this to say after the game last night:
“Yeah we know what we’re capable of, it’s just frustrating where they go on those 8-0, 10-0 runs especially on the road where they get the crowd into it and get a comfort level. You take a lot of energy to get back in the game, if we eliminate those little stretches, we’re in it the whole way, not having to claw our way back and make it interesting”
The W’s certainly showed some fight when Boston extended their lead to 16 in the third quarter, but battled back to be only down 1 with three minutes left. But Steph is right, it does take a lot of energy to create those kinds of comebacks, which in turn helps to kill your chances of winning the game. The most telling stat was that Golden State out rebounded the Celtics 39-28 last night, which is a victory within itself in my book.
Now the W’s just need to figure out how to put the pieces together and bring some intensity every night to string along some wins. They get their next shot Sunday at the Philadelphia 76ers. Hopefully the Warriors can roll over their mind set from the Boston game to the much weaker 76ers.