With 54 straight wins at home, it had been more than a year since the Golden State Warriors had lost a regular season game at home. That incredible NBA record finally came crashing down on Friday, when the Boston Celtics beat them 109-106 playing an extremely physical game that took the Warriors out of their element.
Golden State was going for a perfect home record this season after their 36-0 start, a record that understandably hasn't been talked about like their quest for 73 wins that would break a record set by the 1995-96 Bulls. But the Celtics dialed up their defense, working the Warriors from the very start and limiting them to just 43 points in the first half, the lowest total for the Warriors all season.
Stephen Curry committed five turnovers in the first quarter with just one made field goal. Although he shot the ball efficiently, scoring 29 points on 19 shots, Curry turned the ball over a season-high nine times, costing Golden State critical possessions in a game where they needed points.
Coming into the game, the Warriors had trailed by 27 minutes all season in the fourth quarter at home. On Friday, they trailed the entire quarter, with Boston not relinquishing the lead once, despite Golden State pushing back.
The Celtics hurt Golden State on the other end with balanced, varied scoring. Four of their five starters recorded 15-plus points, with Evan Turner, of all people, leading the way with 21 points.
Harrison Barnes hit a three-pointer from the corner to make it a one-point game with 10 seconds to play, putting the Warriors as close as they'd been all night. The play came after Draymond Green first fell on the floor tying up the Celtics for a steal, then turned it over on the next play. But with the stage set for Curry down three, he couldn't knock down a potentially game-tying three-pointer despite a surprisingly good look.
The Warriors can still break the NBA record for wins in a season. They also can stop the Spurs, who are also undefeated at home, when they play them in San Antonio next week. But for now, marvel in this amazing record by Golden State, who literally went more than a year without a regular season loss at home.