Game 29 Preview: Celtics at Warriors

Brandon Bass and the Celtics will have their hands full on the
glass tonight.

After one of their more impressive victories of the season, the Celtics (14-14) forgot to show up to the Staples Center on Thursday night, as they got pounded by the Los Angeles Clippers, 106-77, which only follows the pattern this team has set for themselves. One game they look good, the next they look as bad as the Charlotte Bobcats.

In any case, the Celtics need to dust themselves off and move on. Things don't get any easier, as they now finish their West Coast trip with a back-to-back that starts tonight against the Golden State Warriors (20-10).

For Golden State, this is the second night of back-to-back. Last night, they were victorious over the Philadelphia 76ers, 96-89. They have been the surprise team so far in the NBA this season. They are the fifth-best team in the Western Conference and don't appear to be going anywhere. They rank in the top 10 in points scored per game, rebounds per game, and assists per game.

Meanwhile, the Celtics are at a crossroads. They're a .500 team right now that's trying to hold down the fort until the long-awaited return of Avery Bradley next Wednesday night. 

Here's a preview:

Projected lineups:

Celtics:

Courtney Lee

Jason Terry

Paul Pierce

Kevin Garnett

Jason Collins

Warriors:

Stephen Curry 

Klay Thompson

Harrison Barnes

David Lee

Festus Ezeli

Keys to the game:

1. Stopping the young'uns: Over their last three games, Golden State is averaging 19.1 fast break points per game, which is good for third in the league during that span. However, they were outscored on the fast break last night, 15-9. Now considering tonight is the second night of a back-to-back for them, it'll be interesting to see if they get back to their recent running ways with tired legs. However, they have the eighth-youngest roster in the league with an average age of 25.2, so fatigue shouldn't be that big of a factor. The Celtics need to control the young kids and dictate the pace of the game.

2. A better start: The Celtics got off to the worst possible start on Thursday night, as they dug themselves into a 24-9 hole. The Celtics cut it to 4, 32-28, but then L.A. went on to outscore the C's 74-49. 30 points in the first quarter is a recipe for disaster for the Celtics, so the Celtics need to keep the Warriors in the low to mid-20s in the first.