OAKLAND -– If they had their way, the Warriors would never leave Oracle Arena.
They won their franchise-record 19th consecutive home game Sunday, posting a 114-111 win over the plucky Boston Celtics, who fought hard enough to make it close at the end.
The Warriors (36-6) were not particularly sharp –- they were downright horrendous at times –- but it didn't matter. They were in their house and the Celtics, for all their competitive will, lack the elite talent required to defeat the Warriors of this season.
Guards Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry led the Warriors' offense, as Thompson finished with 31 points and Curry with 22, as well as 11 assists.
The victory lifted the Warriors record against Eastern Conference teams to 14-0, the best start by a team in the West since the 1971-72 Lakers reeled off a 19-0 start.
Two other Warriors finished in double figures, as Draymond Green totaled 14 points and Andrew Bogut added 13, along with a game-high 13 rebounds.
Jared Sullinger finished with 22 points and eight rebounds to lead the Celtics (15-27), who were coming off road wins at Denver and Portland.
STANDOUT PERFORMER
It was a Splash Brothers kind of night. Even though they didn't torch the nets from long distance, they share the honors.
Curry and Thompson took turns making timely plays, Thompson with key baskets and Curry with both productive passes and crowd-pleasing buckets.
Thompson scored 11 points in the final quarter, including a 3-pointer with 36.3 seconds left that finally put away the pesky Celtics.
TURNING POINT
The Warriors had numerous opportunities to put this one away but weren't able to seal it until the fourth quarter.
Though the Warriors led 77-71 with 3:12 left in the third quarter, the Celtics were hanging tough –- until the Warriors went on a 14-6 run spanning the final quarters, taking a 91-77 lead with 11:47 to play.
Boston, which spent most of the game facing a surmountable deficit, failed to cut to single digits until the final two minutes.
OF NOTE
The three-point margin snapped at 11 the Warriors streak of double-digit home victories.
INJURY UPDATE
C Festus Ezeli (sprained left ankle) remains out indefinitely.
ROSTER NOTE
C Ognjen Kuzmic remains on assignment with the D-League affiliate Santa Cruz Warriors.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Warriors on Tuesday night face the Chicago Bulls at Oracle Arena.
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