So much can change in a year.
You ask anyone this time last year about who would be the two teams destined to meet up in a potential NBA Finals seven-game duel, and most would have said these two teams, without question.
The Warriors were coming fresh off of a second-straight title, KD looked as if him staying in Warrior Blue and Gold for the rest of his career was to be an impending reality, Steph Curry getting into the hall of fame just ten years into his career was just a mere formality, Klay Thompson was the most impactful two-way player in the league, yadda yadda yadda.
Well, after the Golden years subsided, this summer saw the demolition of one of the most dynastic factions in sports. KD’s tearing of an Achilles in Game 4 of the finals and departure from the self-described toxic environment that was Oakland, Klay Thompson tearing his ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 Finals and being forced to sit out all of this season, Steph Curry’s sustaining of a broken left hand only a couple of games in the new season, and the destruction of a decent bench in free agency left the Warriors with arguably the most untalented starting five in the NBA.
And on the Eastern side of things, the Celtics were just a quarter – forget just a home Game 7 – away from advancing to their 22nd NBA Finals. Kyrie was on the favorites list to win MVP, Jayson Tatum was only 20, Jaylen Brown was getting more minutes and confidence, and there wasn’t any other powerhouse in the East that, on paper, couldn’t breathe the same air of the 17-and-soon-to-be-18-time champs.
But to quote that book called “Of Mice And Men” that you probably read as a grade-school summer reading assignment, “The best-laid plans often go awry”.
Reality is often disappointing, too. That team that was supposed to have a cakewalk to the finals? They ended up only winning 5 playoff games in a second-round bounce, courtesy of the MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. Irving couldn’t deal with the headlines and headlights that the prognosticators of the parquet floor brought on a nightly occurrence and retreated to Brooklyn to team up with Kevin Durant.
Supposed comeback player of the year Gordon Hayward had his worst season as a pro, Jayson Tatum underwent the dreaded sophomore slump, and the dysfunction of these C’s just ate up any hopes and dreams of them getting a taste of a deep playoff run.
Tonight, however, these two new-look squads get their first look at each other at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, right after the Grizzlies and Jazz game ends.
The Celtics have opened their 2019-20 campaign on an absolute blaze, as Kemba Walker has been a perfect fit and more for a team that needed a new vocal presence, as some speckle of recency bias would suggest. They sit at 9-1, winning nine straight games after their season-opening road loss to rival Philadelphia.
The start of their five-game road trip begins in sunny San Francisco, making this the first time Celtics green touches the floor of the newly-erected Chase Center.
Some facts about this matchup: The Warriors are 1-5 at home while the Celtics are 4-1 on the road. The Celtics are 2-0 vs the West while the Warriors are 0-1 vs Eastern teams, and the Celtics have won their last 9 games while the Warriors have lost 5 straight.
The Warriors have looked like doormats both home and away, and with a roster that’s seen nine changes to their starting five, Steve Kerr and the rest of the Warriors brass are looking at this season as a buffer of sorts for all of the Dubs’ best players (Curry, Thompson, Draymond Green) for them to be completely healthy as they try and take back the west next season.
While the Warriors walk into this one trying to win their third game of the year sitting at 2-10, the Celtics are trying to prove the point that they are championship ready now and with a big chance to earn a 10th straight win, the Celtics are foaming at the mouths at the opportunity to supplant themselves as the team with the best record as the NBA’s best team.
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