The beat(down) goes on, Celtics run away with 11th straight win

Whatever basketball demons remained from Boston's 2022 NBA Finals loss to Golden State, have been exorcised and then some following the Celtics' emphatic pummeling of the Warriors on Sunday.

Jaylen Brown was one of several Boston players that the Golden State Warriors had no answer for in the Celtics’ runaway win. Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

BOSTON — When the walkway areas between the green-and-white clad rows and sections of the TD Garden were filled with jovial, jubilant fans at the half, usually it means they’re going to get a snack or maybe another drink or two.

Considering how the first half played out, it would have been no surprise if a few people decided to call it a night and head home as the Celtics took an 82-38 lead into the half, and continued to surge ahead in the second before finishing with a decisive 140-88 win.

Boston has delivered its share of beatdowns this season, but this one felt … different.

It had the feel of a game that was about more than just flexing their basketball dominance, but also exorcising some basketball demons, the kind that have followed the Celtics ever since they lost to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals in 2022.