The Golden State Warriors have long been singing the praises of the Boston Celtics, and on Saturday night, they will get to face off against them for the first time this season in what could be an NBA Finals preview.
Prior to the game on Saturday, Warriors star Kevin Durant said that the Celtics are probably the most skilled team they have faced this season:
“As far as skill level, I don’t think we’ve faced anybody as skilled as this team,” said Durant, according to Jay King of The Athletic.
The Celtics are actually the only team in the NBA that does not have a losing record against the Warriors since Durant arrived during the summer of 2016, with the two teams splitting their six meetings.
Last season, Boston defeated Golden State at TD Garden and then lost a hard-fought game to the Dubs at Oracle Arena later in the year.
Article Continues BelowWhen it comes to matchups, the C's probably match up better with the Warriors than any other team in the league, as they have the perimeter defenders needed to stay with Golden State's star guards.
In addition, the Celtics have Kyrie Irving, who famously burnt Golden State during the 2016 NBA Finals and has historically played the Dubs well in general.
Both ballclubs are also entering this showdown on a roll, as Boston comes into play having won five games in a row and the Warriors will enter Beantown winners of nine straight.
Also, with DeMarcus Cousins now on the floor and the Celtics finally healthy, this will be a full-strength battle for both sides.