Street Fighter? Early success away from Chase Center, good sign for Dubs

Street Fighter? Early success outside Chase Center boded well for Dubs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Two seasons ago, the Warriors had one of the worst road records in the NBA and still reached the Western Conference semifinals. Now that they are proving to be one of the best away teams in the league this season, there is every reason to believe they can go further.

Golden State’s 118-112 victory over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Wednesday was the Warriors’ third straight victory on this crucial road trip, which ends with trips to Cleveland and Oklahoma City.

“This was our test here to see where we are [are] at,” Gary Payton II said on NBC Sports Bay Area’s “Warriors Postgame Live” show. “We knew they would give our best, so we had to come here and show what we could do.”

It was indeed a good litmus test for the Warriors, easily the toughest of the 2024-25 NBA season. The fact that Golden State won just as easily as they did when they played away from Chase Center is another encouraging sign and something the Warriors are getting pretty good at.

This is the first time the Warriors have won their first five road games since winning 14 straight to start the 2015-16 season. That year, Golden State set an NBA record with 73 regular-season wins.

“We have the ability to beat anyone,” Stephen Curry said. “It is difficult. You have to rise to the challenge, but this year is a different year. We’re trying to take small steps and develop an identity.”

The Warriors have won seven regular-season road games since last season, although the 2023-24 season ended with a loss to the Sacramento Kings in the play-in tournament at the Golden 1 Center.

Coach Steve Kerr’s team has actually won 22 of their last 26 away games, something the Warriors hadn’t achieved since the 2017/18 season.

“Obviously Boston was without Jaylen Brown and [Kristaps] Porzingis, so that wasn’t their best version of their team, but they’re still pretty darn good,” Kerr said. “It was a great win in a difficult environment.”

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