4 takeaways as Celtics lose to Warriors in overtime thriller

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, right, moves the ball while defended by Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)AP

The shorthanded Celtics failed a tough test during the start of their lengthy road trip, blowing a 17-point second half before dropping an overtime thriller 132-126 to the Warriors at the Chase Center.

Stephen Curry led the way for the hosts with a game-high 31 points while Klay Thompson chipped in with 24 points. Derrick White had a team-high 30 points in the setback while Jaylen Brown added 28 points and Jayson Tatum scored just 15 points while battling an ankle injury.

Boston led by as many as 17 points in the second half as Curry sat out with foul trouble for much of the third quarter. However, the hosts did not go down without a fight, tying the game up in the final minute of regulation before Curry took over in overtime with a pair of clutch baskets in the final minute to put Boston away.

The Celtics saw their five-game winning streak snapped and dropped to .500 on the season on the road. Boston continues its four-game road trip on Wednesday night in Sacramento.

Here are four Celtics takeaways from Tuesday night:

Jayson Tatum shakes off injury scare but struggles: The All-Star forward left the game suddenly early in the first quarter after stepping on Brandin Podziemski midway through a possession. Tatum appeared to roll his left ankle on the play and immediately hobbled to Boston’s locker room where he remained for several minutes before returning to the bench.

Ultimately, the team called it a left ankle sprain and Tatum was cleared to return for the start of the second quarter. He struggled with his shooting after the injury going just 3-of-14 from the field while relying primarily on a 3-point shot that wasn’t falling.

Tatum also missed a potential game-winner at the end of regulation when he settled for a contested 3. With a back-to-back looming on Wednesday night in Sacramento, it will be interesting to see if the Celtics medical staff plays it safe with Tatum on the quick turnaround.

Jaylen Brown remains hot but goes quiet late: The veteran wing is in the midst of one of the best months of his NBA career and that success continued on the road Tuesday night.

Brown set the tone for Boston during a 40 point first quarter with a team-high 12 points in the frame. He attacked the Warriors’ defense constantly in the paint, punishing a lack of size for much of the evening while continuing to show improved rim reads in traffic.

Brown finished with 28 points and shot over 50 percent from the field for the sixth straight game but he went quiet like the Celtics offense late, scoring just four total points in the fourth quarter and regulation.

Defense takes a step back, offense stumbles late: Despite their struggles this season, the Warriors are still a dynamic offense and that was on display early in his one. Golden State hit the 30-point mark in the first couple of quarters thanks to some frantic play in transition and lackluster closeouts on the perimeter against the Warriors shooters.

Once Boston went cold from 3-point range in the second quarter, the Warriors were able to jump out to a 15-2 run as the visitors struggled to string together stops. Golden State also erased the Celtics’ big lead in the second half with their 3-point shooting and aggression in transition, making the Celtics’ drop coverage look vulnerable at several points with Curry punishing them.

Boston’s crunch time woes also resurfaced late as the team went through a five minute scoreless stretch during the end of regulation and overtime including several missed wide open looks. Those missed chances opened the door for the Warriors to steal the win.

Celtics bench does their job: On a night Boston’s frontcourt was shorthanded with Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet sidelined, Boston’s deep bench stepped up to the plate. Oshae Brissett scored six points in a brief stint including a pair of impressive dunks but the star of the bench may have been two-way center Neemias Queta.

The big man played with a ton of energy, piling up 6 points and 5 rebounds in the first half alone, earning himself some time next to Al Horford to close the half. He finished the game with 10 points and 10 rebounds, giving him his first doubt-double as a Celtic. With Boston’s final roster spot remaining open, Queta looks like a good candidate to eventually fill that void.