Juan Toscano-Anderson ties career-high with 16 points and Stephen Curry adds 38, crossing 17,000-point threshold in loss to Celtics.

The Golden State Warriors got off to a blistering start at Chase Center Monday night against the Boston Celtics, and over-zealous NBA fans will tell you the Dubs were more fired up than normal due to a bizarre online feud that erupted earlier this week between 3x NBA Champion Klay Thompson and ‘Big Baby’ Glen Davis, a retired power forward who was carried to a ring of his own by the Celtics in 2008.

Curry opened the game knocking down a three-pointer behind a Draymond Green screen, making his first three shot attempts and splashing in four threes in the first quarter for 17 of his game-high 38 points.

Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after he missed a shot at the buzzer at the end of the first quarter of their game against the Boston Celtics at Chase Center on February 02, 2021 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Kelly Oubre Jr. helped keep the team energized with a monster slam over Celtics’ Daniel Theis in the first frame, and despite an 11-point lead to open the second quarter, a Kevon Looney ankle injury saw the Celtics close the gap and tie the game 52-all to end the half.

With Looney out to begin the third quarter, Juan Toscano-Anderson started the second half and was a spark plug off the bench for his team, knocking down multiple 3s and igniting a stingy defensive attitude that kept the Warriors in the contest.

The loss of this year’s second-overall draft pick Andrew Wiseman to a wrist injury earlier this week that's scheduled to keep him out seven-to-10 days combined with Looney’s new ankle knock has thinned the Warriors at the center position and will be of great concern in the upcoming games until they can both return.

The third quarter saw an up and down, back and forth game between the two teams, with the Warriors keeping it close, but it was the only quarter in the game that Golden State never led. While it’s usually the Warriors’ second unit that makes the difference in the contest, it was Boston’s Grant Williams who came off the bench to influence the game late, with timely shooting and stymieing defense.

Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics and Juan Toscano-Anderson #95 of the Golden State Warriors go for a loose ball at Chase Center on February 02, 2021 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The Warriors and the Celtics traded buckets for most of the fourth quarter, until the Warriors found themselves down 10 with just under four minutes remaining. The Dubs managed three defensive stops in a row right before the two minute mark, harkening to head coach Steve Kerr’s focus this season on being a top defensive team, and were able to cut the deficit to just four points.

However, the Celtics would hit their free throws down the stretch to ice the game, with Golden State ultimately coming up short to a Boston team that had lost five of its last seven games.

Curry finished the game shooting 12-for-21 from the field and 7-for-14 from 3-pt range, to go with 11 rebounds and eight assists. Curry’s seven threes marked his 11th straight game with three made three-pointers, and his 17,011 career points is second behind only Wilt Chamberlain (17,783) for most all-time in Golden State Warriors history. With Curry currently averaging 28.2 pts per game this season, it will only take him 28 games to pass Chamberlain at his current pace.

Kelly Oubre Jr. (center) #12 of the Golden State Warriors watches the final minutes of their game against the Boston Celtics from the bench at Chase Center on February 02, 2021 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The Warriors seemed almost unbothered after the loss and were quick to put it behind them.

“It is what it is, man, on to the next,” Juan Toscano-Anderson told media in his post-game presser. “Nobody’s gonna cry about this loss tonight, you know, we gotta get up and do it again tomorrow. Nobody’s panicking. I think we’re a great team, I think we just lost, and it happens.”

The Warriors will have another chance to prove just what kind of team they are this season against the Dallas Mavericks in the first of a two-game series Thursday night at 4:30 p.m. PST.

Top Image: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images