Warriors make statement in Boston, but Stephen Curry says ‘long way to go’

BOSTON — The Golden State Warriors will wrap up a five-game road trip this week against the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder, the NBA’s top three teams through three weeks.

“We’ll know if they’re right after that,” a Celtics executive admitted before the first of those games.

Consider the first passed test. Behind the excellence of Stephen Curry, a pair of Kevon Looney put-backs and a Buddy Hield dagger, the Warriors closed out a fourth quarter with four lead changes. The Warriors’ 118-112 win improved their record to 7-1, a half-game better than the defending champions.

“It’s a statement,” said Hield, whose wide-open 3-pointer on a feed from Curry gave Golden State a 111-104 advantage with 47.2 seconds left. “If we don’t win this game, everybody says, ‘Oh, they didn’t play anybody.’ have played any yet, you will be battle tested and you will see if it is real.

Much of the hype surrounding Wednesday’s game pitted Jayson Tatum against Steve Kerr, as if the Celtics star could send a message to the Warriors head coach. Kerr benched Tatum for two games at the Paris Olympics. You wouldn’t have known it — at least not after the TD Garden crowd booed Kerr’s pregame introduction.

“From the beginning it was all, ‘We’re in this together. We have 12 Hall of Famers and we’re committed to winning,'” Kerr said. “And we won the gold medal, so I don’t think too much about it.”

Otherwise, the 2022 NBA finalists went to work in a brilliant game. One point separated them to start the fourth quarter. Derrick White’s seventh 3 of the night gave the Celtics a 95-88 edge midway through the final frame, and then what Hield described as “championship habits” took over. The Warriors scored on their next seven possessions, including all 10 of Curry’s points in the fourth quarter, to seal the deal.

“Normal Steph,” Looney joked.

It’s too early – and perhaps too far-fetched – to consider the Warriors a serious title contender again. Curry is 36 years old. Draymond Green is 34. Klay Thompson is gone, and in his place is a collection of talented players, none of whom are future Hall of Famers, most of whom Kerr is still trying to sort out.

Even Curry isn’t gunning for his fifth championship at the moment. After failing to make the playoffs last season for the third time in five years, he and the Warriors are only looking for relevance again.

“We haven’t done anything yet,” Curry said. “A good team, or a relevant team, wins the games they’re supposed to win, steals a few on the road against good teams, and protects the home field. We’ve done those things so far, but we have two more games on this road trip — two tough tests.

“Obviously I like where we are, but there’s a long way to go.”

What gave Curry pause in that response was Golden State’s deep rotation, something he described as uncomfortable. He doesn’t know who will contribute on a nightly basis; he just knows they have to.

“Until proven otherwise, this is how we’re going to play,” Curry said. “Coach has been talking about it until he’s already blue in the face. Every practice, every film session, every conference call, it’s the same message. This is who we are right now; this is who we need to be. You obviously know as the season goes on rotations get tighter.”

It works though, especially on defense. The Warriors held Boston to a season-low 40 points in the first half, sending waves of defenders at the Celtics. Gary Payton II compared Kerr’s 11-man rotation to a line change in hockey. “A lot of fresh legs,” he said, most of which were aimed at Tatum. The Celtics star saw two defenders most of the night and finished with 32 points but just two assists to four turnovers. It didn’t help that Boston was without fellow player Jaylen Brown, whose hip injury has listed him as day-to-day.

“Obviously, Boston was without Jaylen Brown and (Kristaps) Porzingis, so this isn’t the best version of their team,” Kerr admitted, “but they’re still damn good. It’s a hell of a win in a tough environment.”

Golden State’s defense is now rated second in the NBA behind the Thunder, allowing 103.5 points per 100 possessions. That recipe — solid defense, full of energy, around a Stephen Curry — is one that should win a lot of games in the regular season. It has won five in a row. Cleveland and Oklahoma City await.

“It was a great test,” Curry said from Boston. “We haven’t done a damn thing, but it felt good.”