Even though the Boston Celtics are the top team in the NBA, the young and dynamic Oklahoma City Thunder proved that they are not far behind in their season-opening game. Furthermore, the Thunder was the superior team on Tuesday night.
With a 127-123 victory, the Thunder took it to the visiting Celtics in Oklahoma City, ending Boston’s six-game winning run and extending their own to five games.
The match on Tuesday night had all the atmosphere of a postseason match. During the first half, the two teams exchanged blows, with Boston leading by three points at the intermission. That all changed when Boston’s kryptonite quarter reappeared in the third quarter, when the Thunder crushed the Celtics, 40-25. OKC began the fourth quarter with a 10–4 surge that increased their advantage to 18 points.
But the Celtics refused to give up, and in the last minutes of play, Boston put on a 27-11 scoring spree to make the game extremely intriguing. In the end, the Thunder just had too much boom.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put on another MVP-caliber performance for the Thunder, and the Celtics, like every other NBA club, had no answer. With a game-high 36 points in the end, he made his 14 of 22 shooting performance appear effortless. SGA shot 7 of 9 in the first half and then went on a rampage in the third quarter, scoring 16 points on 7 of 10 shots. He constantly pounded the Celtics at the rim, scuttling around any Boston player who attempted to slow him down. In the Thunder win, Gilgeous-Alexander also grabbed six rebounds and disheveled out seven assists.
And others filled in for him when he became a little chilly in the fourth. With just over two minutes remaining, Boston had narrowed the advantage to six points, but Chet Holmgren made a big three-pointer. In the fourth quarter, Jalen Williams scored eight points, including a pull-up with 26 seconds remaining, after the Thunder had trimmed the Celtics’ lead to just two points.
Josh Giddey scored two free throws to help Oklahoma City win. With four three-pointers made during the game, the Celtics killer finished with a total of 23 points.
The Thunder shot 45 percent from three-point range and 52.7 percent overall, showing no signs of weakness against the Boston defense. The second-youngest team in the NBA was just better than the Celtics on Tuesday night, not because of poor defensive performance. The Thunder don’t have to worry about a few mismatches when they play the Celtics, unlike other teams.
Adding 10 rebounds, three blocks, and 34 points on 12-of-18 shooting, Kristaps Porzinigis helped Boston stay afloat. Considering that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for Boston only made five of their first fifteen field goals, it was a little miracle that the Celtics were still in the game at the break.
Tatum ultimately overcame his difficult start to finish with 30 points on 10 of 21 shots. As Boston battled back, he also played some outstanding defense against Gilgeous-Alexander in the closing moments. Despite having a rare bad night, Brown scored nine points in the fourth quarter as Boston went on a run, despite shooting only 4-of-18 and missing all eight of his three-pointers. Even yet, it was one of his weakest games of the season, as he only managed 15 points in the end.
Tuesday night, Boston was defeated in the third quarter. Six of OKC’s nine three-pointers and 16 of its 26 attempts were made within the frame. During their winning streak, the Celtics had found a solution to their third-quarter problems; nonetheless, the Thunder continued to obtain open looks and capitalize on them.
Among the teams that ought to win every night is the Celtics. However, there is no shame in falling to this OKC club, which has already defeated the Suns, the Timberwolves, and the Nuggets twice. They are currently leading the Western Conference. Despite their youth, the Thunder are real. That was highlighted even more on Tuesday night when they triumphed over the league’s top squad.
When Oklahoma City visits Boston on April 3, the Celtics will have another opportunity to face this Thunder squad. When the NBA Finals return this summer, we’ll find out if there are any more matchups planned.