The middle portion of the Western Conference standings is a forgiving place. The struggling Suns were blown out by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, leaving them tied with the Warriors at 21-21. The Minnesota Timberwolves have fallen to 22-21, and the Warriors already own the tiebreaker over them.

I spent my Monday afternoon watching the Warriors get obliterated by the Celtics — a 40-point loss, wire-to-wire domination and a stark reminder of just how far Golden State has fallen. One thought kept creeping into my mind: The path Boston took to become the powerhouse it is today is the exact lesson Golden State needs to learn.

The Golden State Warriors have struggled as of late, losing 18 of their last 27 games after starting the season with a 12-3 record. To make matter worse, forwar