The NBA had a limited schedule on Thursday night. In one of the early games, the Boston Celtics, who have really taken control of the Atlantic Division lately, hosted the Golden State Warriors.
The Celtics won the game in a very close contest, one that went to overtime. They put up a single-possession margin of victory in the game, winning by just 3 points against a feisty Golden State effort. The final score in the contest was GS 118, and Boston 121 (OT).
Warriors @ Celtics Thursday: Jayson Tatum scores 34
With the loss, the Warriors are now 22-23 overall on the season. This is a team that has major troubles on the road. Golden State is now just 5-18 as visitors this season, a road record that puts a major damper on their season.
They remain the 5th favorites for the NBA title with bet365 (+850), however, even if they make the playoffs you have to think that GS will be looking to play a road series in the opening round. With an inability to win on the road, the Warriors cannot be considered anything but a peripheral contender at this point.
The NBA trade deadline is just a few weeks away. What approach should Golden State take? Are they, in fact, sellers at this point in their franchise's history? At some point, they will have to come to grips with the fact that their stars are aging: if a losing record on January 20th doesn't send the message, then what will?
Boston Celtics: #1 Ranked Team at a Glance
- Overall record: 34-12
- Home record: 18-5
- Away record: 16-7
- Winning/losing streak: W8
- Last ten games: 8-2
Meanwhile, the Celtics improved to 34-12 with the 3-point victory. The top scorer in the game was Jayson Tatum (pictured), who had an impressive 34 points in the contest. With the win, Boston won their eighth straight game. Brooklyn, one of Boston's main foes in the east, has hit a very cold part of its season following the injury to Kevin Durant. Boston has built a very comfortable lead in both the Eastern Conference and the Atlantic Division. It comes as no surprise that they are the favorite to win the NBA title at +350 with bet365.
Further reading: NBA Power Rankings
