BOSTON — The Golden State Warriors, the team with the best record in the NBA, spotted the Boston Celtics a 26-point, first-half lead but roared from behind and ended the Celtics’ three-game winning streak with a 106-101 victory on Sunday night.
Down 56-30 almost halfway through the second quarter and by 16 at the break, the Warriors (46-11) made some noise in the third, but still trailed by nine points entering the fourth quarter. A 19-8 run, coming as the Celtics sagged offensively, gave the Warriors their first lead since 4-3 with 3:27 left — forward Draymond Green’s tip-in snapping a 94-94 tie.
Guards Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, the Warriors’ Splash Brothers, combined for 57 points but it was driving layups by forward Harrison Barnes and guard Andre Iguodala that brought the visitors from a point down to a three-point lead with 26.2 seconds left. The baskets came after a long 3-pointer by rookie guard Marcus Smart that gave the Celtics their last lead, 99-98 with 1:43 remaining.
With Golden State ahead by three, Boston guard Avery Bradley badly missed a 3-pointer from the right corner, but guard Isaiah Thomas got the rebound and was fouled. He then scored on a drive with 11.8 seconds remaining, but Curry, who had 37 points, hit two free throws with 10.5 seconds left. Thomas got a good look at a trey but missed, and Curry hit two more free throws.
Curry was 14 of 22 from the floor, 5 of 8 from 3-point range, and had five assists and four rebounds. The closing free throws were his only ones of the game, and he heard some “M-V-P” chants in the sellout crowd.
Barnes finished with 17 points and eight rebounds, while Green had 14 points and 11 boards and center Andrew Bogut grabbed 10 rebounds.
Thomas, had who worked his magic after arriving from Phoenix in a trade, led the Celtics, again off the bench, with 20 points. But he was just 8 of 21 from the floor, 3 of 11 from 3-point range. The Warriors’ familiarity with Thomas from the Western Conference (Sacramento and Phoenix) appeared to be a factor.
All five Celtics starters reached double figures — center Tyler Zeller with 17 points and six rebounds, while forward Brandon Bass had 15 points and 12 boards.
Forward Jae Crowder came off the bench and grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds. But he was just 4 of 17 from the floor, including 1 of 7 from behind the arc, and scored nine points.
The Celtics, who had hit 14 3-pointers in each of the three wins in their streak, were just 8 of 31 from long range in this game — the loss hurting their chances in the mix of six teams for the last two Eastern Conference playoff berths.
NOTES: F Kelly Olynyk (ankle) returned to practice Saturday but missed his 17th straight game. The hope now is that he can return at Cleveland Tuesday night. … Warriors C Andrew Bogut, scheduled for a night off Sunday, played because of the one-game suspension of F Festus Ezeli, nailed for his altercation with Toronto’s Tyler Hansbrough Friday night. … F Jae Crowder, who came to Boston from Dallas and was supposed to be part of a losing and rebuilding situation, is among those who hasn’t read the script. “I’m sorry,” he said after Friday night’s win. “I apologize to Danny (team president Ainge) right now, but I’m a winner. You bring me here, I like to win games. I’m a basketball player. I don’t know how to lay down and just lose. I don’t agree with that.” … The Warriors continue their six-game road swing at Brooklyn Monday night.