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On Wednesday, at 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN), the Oklahoma City Thunder (53-12) will face off against the Boston Celtics (47-18) in a highly anticipated clash featuring two of the top teams in the league.
Currently leading the Western Conference, the Thunder are propelled by Kia MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has established himself as a premier scorer and defensive stalwart. Meanwhile, the Celtics are on a hot streak with five consecutive victories, enjoying a 5.5-game cushion over the New York Knicks as the second seed in the East.
In their previous encounter on January 5, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, guiding the Thunder to a 105-92 victory, which marked OKC’s franchise-record 15th straight win. Since that matchup, the Thunder have posted a record of 24-7, while the Celtics have gone 21-9, showcasing two of the top five performing records in the NBA since January 5.
Gilgeous-Alexander is currently leading the league in scoring with an average of 32.7 points per game. His presence on the court is indispensable; when he plays, the Thunder enjoy an offensive rating of 122.2, which falls to 107.7 during his absence. The Thunder’s recent loss to the Denver Nuggets (140-127) was the first time he failed to score 30 points since February 26, further underscoring his consistent excellence.
Defensively, Gilgeous-Alexander’s contributions are equally significant. He ranks third in the NBA for steals, averaging 1.8 per game, making him the only player this season to appear in the top five for both offensive rating (122.2) and defensive rating (105.3).
The Thunder are the leading team in converting defensive plays into offense, scoring an impressive 22.1 points off turnovers each game. This ability makes Oklahoma City one of the most disruptive forces in the league. Gilgeous-Alexander’s impressive +12.1 plus/minus rating is the highest in the NBA among all players except for his own team (+12.6). Here’s a deeper dive into his influence:
The Boston Celtics have thrived this season on their three-point shooting, a trend that has continued throughout their winning streak. In their last five games, they have connected on at least 13 shots from beyond the arc each game, including an impressive 23 three-pointers in a victory against Portland last Wednesday.
Currently, the Celtics are ranked second in the league in scoring, averaging 120.6 points per game, while allowing only 109.2 points (third-best in the NBA). In contrast, the Thunder hold the top rank for opponent three-point shooting percentage at 33.6% and contest an average of 18.9 three-pointers per game. This clash of contrasting styles and strengths sets the stage for a captivating strategic battle tonight.
In their last meeting, the Celtics struggled from three-point range, converting just 9 of 46 attempts (19.6%), which allowed the Thunder to secure a home victory. For Boston to change the narrative this time, they will need to significantly improve their performance against Gilgeous-Alexander, who limits opponents to just 32.7% shooting from beyond the arc, which is 3.5% lower than their typical average.
