When the Celtics overhauled the roster during the offseason, it was done with an eye on taking out the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference and ultimately the West’s Golden State Warriors for the top spot in the NBA.
Losing Gordon Hayward in the first blink of the season was the last thing anyone anticipated, but after dropping the first two games, the C’s have ripped off 13 straight wins for the best record in the NBA.
Other teams have certainly noticed, including tonight’s opponent and the team closest for the best record in the league — the defending champion Warriors, who are 11-3 and arrive at the Garden riding a seven-game winning streak.