Warriors Routed by Celtics in Kristaps Porzingis' Debut

Porzingis struggled in his first game with Golden State as the team fell behind by as many as 34 points.

Feb. 27, 2026 at 9:23pm by Ben Kaplan

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The Warriors were outmatched by the Boston Celtics in Kristaps Porzingis' debut with the team, falling 121-108. Porzingis, who was acquired by Golden State on February 5th, finished with 12 points in 17 minutes of play but the Warriors never recovered from a disastrous start that saw them trail by as many as 34 points. Without the injured Stephen Curry, the Warriors were unable to mount a comeback despite a strong effort from De'Anthony Melton, who led the team with 18 points.

Why it matters

The lopsided loss highlights the challenges the Warriors face in integrating Porzingis into their lineup, especially with Curry sidelined. The team will need to quickly find ways to maximize Porzingis' skills while maintaining their identity as a perimeter-oriented offense if they hope to remain in contention in the Western Conference.

The details

Porzingis struggled mightily in his initial minutes, as the Warriors were outscored 17-2 during his first stint on the floor. The Celtics took advantage of Porzingis' presence, driving to the rim at will and knocking down 10 3-pointers in the first half. Despite a better second-half performance from Porzingis, the Warriors were unable to overcome the large deficit.

  • Porzingis checked in for the first time to begin the second quarter.
  • By the time Porzingis checked out a little more than four minutes later, the Warriors' deficit had grown by 15 points -- to 53-34.

The players

Kristaps Porzingis

A 7-foot-2 center who was recently acquired by the Warriors from the Atlanta Hawks.

De'Anthony Melton

The Warriors player who led the team with 18 points in the loss.

Jaylen Brown

The Celtics player who recorded a triple-double with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists.

Peyton Pritchard

The Celtics player who combined with Sam Hauser to score 42 points on 10-of-15 shooting from 3-point range.

Steve Kerr

The Warriors head coach who opted to bring Porzingis off the bench in his debut.

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What they’re saying

“The Kristaps Porzingis era in Golden State is off to an inauspicious start.”

— Evan Webeck

What’s next

The Warriors will look to bounce back in their next game as they continue to integrate Porzingis into the lineup.

The takeaway

The lopsided loss to the Celtics highlights the challenges the Warriors face in blending Kristaps Porzingis into their high-powered offense, especially with Stephen Curry sidelined. The team will need to quickly find ways to maximize Porzingis' skills while maintaining their identity as a perimeter-oriented team.