It was brutal and ugly throughout, and all the Warriors got for their effort Thursday was a 92-88 loss and the bitter memory of blowing a 17-point lead on the road.
They went into Boston’s TD Garden Thursday for the most anticipated game since opening night and saw their seven-game win streak end while the Celtics pushed their win streak to 14.
Kevin Durant scored 24 points to lead the offense, with Klay Thompson adding 13 and Draymond Green 11. Stephen Curry finished with a season-low 9 points as the Warriors (11-4) fell for the first time this month.
STANDOUT PERFORMER: On a night when no Warrior was tremendous, Durant posted the most impressive overall numbers.
Durant’s line: 24 points (9-of-18 shooting, including 2-of-5 from deep, 4-of-4 from the line), three rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal. He played 35 minutes and finished minus-6 for the game.
TURNING POINT: The Warriors led for most of three quarters and were up 66-49 with 4:59 left in the third quarter, when Boston went on a 19-0 run to go up 68-66 with 53 seconds left in the third.
The teams exchanged leads several times in the fourth quarter before the Celtics went in front for good on a pair of Kyrie Irving free throws with 14 seconds left in the game.
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INJURY UPDATE: Warriors: G Stephen Curry (R thigh bruise) was listed as probable but upgraded to available prior to tipoff and inserted into starting lineup. C Damian Jones is on assignment with the G-League Santa Cruz Warriors.
Celtics: F Gordon Hayward (L ankle fracture) was listed as out.
WHAT'S NEXT: The Warriors return to action Saturday, when they face the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Coverage on NBA Sports Bay Area starts at 3:30 p.m., with tipoff scheduled for 4:30.
