The Boston Celtics will meet the Golden State Warriors for the first time this season in what could be a preview of the NBA Finals, still four months away. Yet head coach Brad Stevens has noticed the two-time defending champions have been clicking on all cylinders as of late, perhaps playing as well as they have in years.
“They look like they’re at an elite level right now,” said Stevens, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps. “I don’t know I’ve ever seen them play better in the regular season. Maybe in the 73-win season.”
That Golden State team clicked in all levels, but did not have one of the deadliest isolation scorers in Kevin Durant, nor a dominant force in the paint in DeMarcus Cousins.
The Warriors' locker room has considered the Celtics the most palpable threat to their three-peat journey this season, lauding everything from Boston's depth, to their coaching and their star power.
The pleasantries were only traded back and forth.
“Over the last few years, they’re the standard for the whole NBA,” said Stevens.
Both teams have experienced bumps on the road throughout this 2018-19 season. The Warriors struggled to stay motivated while encountering a few injury woes through the early stretch, while the Celtics have had issues fine-tuning their lineups and rotations in light of the plethora of talent on their roster.
Golden State has won a season-high nine straight games coming into Saturday's showdown, while the Celtics are tied with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Brooklyn Nets for the longest win streak in the East at five in a row, winning seven of their last 10 contests.
The game will be broadcasted on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET.
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