The Boston Celtics returned from the All-Star break on Thursday night and picked up a 121-110 victory over the Golden State Warriors that was not as competitive as the final score makes it look. Payton Pritchard led all scorers with 26 points, but it was clear that this game meant a little bit more to him and several of his teammates.
That's because the C's went up against a pair of their former teammates, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, both of whom have found their way to the Warriors. While the game wasn't particularly competitive, Pritchard revealed that he relished the opportunity to go up against two guys he won the 2024 NBA Finals with.
"It was definitely fun,” Pritchard said of facing off against Porzingis and Horford after the game. “I was looking forward to it. It’s always fun playing against ex-teammates and going to battle with them.”
Porzingis was making his debut with Golden State on Thursday after being picked up in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks. Horford, meanwhile, suited up for his 35th game of the season, but he struggled against his old team, as he made just two of his 10 field goal attempts.
It's been a bit of a slog of a season for the Warriors, which is the opposite of how things are going for the Celtics, who remain in second place in the Eastern Conference after the New York Knicks lost to the Detroit Pistons before this game got underway. Boston will continue its West Coast Road trip on Sunday night when it squares off against the Los Angeles Lakers at 6:30 p.m. ET.
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