Celtics vs. Warriors prediction: Jayson Tatum battles Steph Curry

Boston and Golden State met in the NBA Finals two seasons ago as the Warriors captured the championship.

The teams split a pair of meetings last season with the home team winning each time.

That was then, this is now.

While Boston has maintained its excellence even while playing the NBA’s third-toughest schedule so far, the Warriors are starting to show signs of mediocrity.

(10 p.m. ET. TNT)

The Celtics head to the Bay Area on Tuesday night to start a four-game West Coast road trip that continues at Sacramento and later features a pair of contests in Los Angeles with the Clippers and a Christmas Day matchup with the Lakers.

Boston, sitting atop the Eastern Conference with a 20-5 record, has been tremendous at home this season but up and down on the road, where it has posted a 6-5 record and lost three straight.

The Celtics have failed to cover the spread in five consecutive games away from TD Garden.

Kristaps Porziņģis (calf) is listed as questionable Tuesday for the Celtics, while Chris Paul (Illness) has the same designation for the Warriors, who continue being without Draymond Green (suspension) and Gary Payton II (calf).

Just 12-14 and in 10th place in the Western Conference, Golden State used to dominate at home but that’s not the case anymore as the Warriors own a 6-6 mark at Chase Center this season.

What’s interesting is the Warriors have actually won five straight home games after a 1-6 start on their court.

The most recent victory came against Brooklyn on Saturday as Stephen Curry torched the Nets for 37 points.

The Celtics have failed to cover on the road of late as heavy favorites, but the line on Tuesday night is more manageable to cash.

Let’s back the Celtics at Golden State to start their West Coast swing off strong.

Pick: Celtics -5.5 (-110, Caesars Sportsbook)