Warriors brace for biggest test of young season against Celtics in Boston

BOSTON — The last time the Warriors stepped into TD Garden, they suffered a 52-point defeat. Two years before that, they closed out the 2022 NBA Finals on Causeway Street. This summer, the Celtics won their first NBA championship since 2008. Then Warriors coach Steve Kerr benched Boston’s best player, Jayson Tatum, for multiple games during Team USA’s Olympic run to gold.

Asking the Warriors about what to expect in the Garden on Wednesday night is somewhat of a loaded question. There’s a whole lot of history, a whole lot of animosity, a whole lot of championship pride to parse.

“We beat them in the NBA Finals a few years ago, and then they just won one,” Draymond Green said on Monday. “So they want to dish everything back to us about them just winning one. It’s always a hostile environment. Don’t expect anything different. It’ll be a tough environment against a very good team, great team. Tough team to play against. But it’s a hostile environment just like any other hostile environment.”

The boo birds will be out. So will, almost certainly, chants directed at Kerr. The Celtics have only played two home games during their 7-1 start to their title defense season, making their crowd eager for a game like this.

But Green, Kerr and Steph Curry are used to playing in difficult atmospheres. For years, they were the hunted. Now, the Warriors (6-1) are the clear underdog — a deep group who has started the season strong walking into their first big test of the year.

“It should be a rowdy one tonight,” Warriors guard Gary Payton II said at morning shootaround.

No single game is necessarily a bellwether for a team’s outlook, especially a November tilt. But the Warriors have taken care of business against overmatched teams (they have wins against Portland, Utah, Washington, Houston and New Orleans twice). They recognize their early schedule has been kind, while also taking pride in winning a trio of games without Curry, who returned Monday from an ankle injury.

Welcome to Boston.

The Celtics boast a league-best 121.8 offensive rating a year after setting the all-time record in the metric. They take an unprecedented 50.9 3-pointers per game and are getting an MVP-caliber early season from Tatum.

Although Finals MVP Jaylen Brown (hip) is sidelined and Kristaps Porzingis remains out indefinitely, Boston has the best defensive backcourt in the NBA with Jrue Holiday and Derrick White — two more gold medalists under Kerr. The Celtics are prepared to apply ball pressure, which has given Golden State trouble at times this year.

But Tatum will be the biggest focal point.

After Kerr played LeBron James and Kevin Durant over Tatum, the Celtics wing has averaged 30 points while taking over 11 3s per game, apparently fixing the jumper that deserted him in Paris.

“He’s motivated,” Green said Wednesday. “He’s playing great basketball. He’s motivated, living up to who he’s supposed to be.”

Limiting Tatum, particularly his pull-up 3 game, will be among the keys for the Warriors on Wednesday night. Payton Pritchard also attempts 9.3 triples off the bench and White takes 8.8 per game.

“We know who the head of the snake is,” Payton said. “Make it tough on the head of the snake, hopefully it trickles down. Just make everyone else take tough shots.”

Golden State has the second-best defensive rating in the league, behind only the Thunder, and has held opponents to a league-best 28.3% from behind the arc. The Warriors are convinced their personnel is better suited to make defense their identity, and the principles and accountability assistant coach Jerry Stackhouse has implemented have gone a long way.

The Celtics will be the first true test case to gauge how sustainable the Warriors’ start is against contenders. Beyond all the noise — and there will be plenty of noise — a matchup against the defending champions could clarify just how real Golden State is.

Their test won’t end in Boston. After the Celtics game, the Warriors travel to Cleveland and Oklahoma City for games against the only two unbeaten teams in the league. When they get home, Western Conference contenders Dallas and Memphis await.

Kerr has said that he knows “that our schedule had been kind to us,” but “it’s about to get a lot harder.” The Celtics are the start of that.

“I love it here,” Payton said. “Great place. I actually love this arena very much. No hard feelings, always a good environment to come back here. Love the environment, love the crowd. Should be a good one.”

Notable

— Brandin Podziemski, who left Monday night’s game against Washington because he was feeling dizzy and lightheaded, is listed as available on the Warriors’ official injury report.

— De’Anthony Melton (back), who has missed the past four games, removed his non-contact red pinny to play full-speed 3-on-3 at the end of shootaround. He’s set to be re-evaluated on Thursday.

— At shootaround, Draymond Green began his media availability by telling reporters that he doesn’t have much to say. He did not specify why before answering questions in a subdued manner.

Asked how grateful he is to have basketball on a day like today — the morning after Donald Trump won the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Green said.

“I am extremely grateful to have my family,” Green said. “That’s the No. 1 thing for me. Basketball has not been a savior in my life since it kind of saved my life. You find other things. I don’t put all my dismay in the world into basketball.”