The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Boston Celtics 118-112 on Wednesday night at TD Garden, marking their 17th win out of the last 18 games and sweeping the two-game season series. With this victory, the Thunder also clinched their playoff berth, showing their dominance as they continue to lead the Western Conference.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander excelled with 34 points on 11-of-20 shooting, showcasing his prowess. Chet Holmgren contributed significantly with 23 points and 15 rebounds, playing a pivotal role for Oklahoma City, especially with All-Star forward Jalen Williams sidelined.
This season, the Celtics have emerged as strong contenders, boasting five consecutive wins and 15 victories out of their last 18 games before facing the Thunder. Jayson Tatum led Boston with 33 points, complemented by Derrick White's 22 points and Al Horford's 18 points alongside 10 rebounds.
The game began explosively for Oklahoma City as they jumped to a 9-0 lead, thanks to Lu Dort scoring their first five points. The Thunder established their momentum right from the tip-off, but Boston quickly found their rhythm, particularly with White's perimeter shooting and agile offense. The Celtics' strategy leaned heavily on three-point attempts, as they fired off 22 of their first 24 field goals from beyond the arc. This long-range game plan paid off, momentarily, as they scored 30 points from three-pointers during the first quarter.
Boston established a new NBA record for the most first-half three-point attempts at 36, finishing the half hitting 20 of their total 63 attempts from deep. Despite the impressive shooting, the lack of offensive diversity was evident as they struggled to contend with Oklahoma City's interior scoring.
During the first half, Oklahoma City scored 30 points inside the paint, exploiting the Celtics’ defense, which was hampered by the absence of center Kristaps Porzingis. The first half concluded with the Thunder leading 63-60, spearheaded by Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren's effective scoring, which included them combining for 30 points.
Coming back for the second half, the Celtics managed to tie the game at 88-88 at the end of the third quarter, largely thanks to Tatum's strong drive and prompting increasingly energetic MVP chants from the home crowd. The Celtics shifted their scoring strategy, managing more points from inside the arc instead of depending solely on three-pointers.
With competitive edge evident, the fourth quarter was tightly contested, with the score knotted at 98 with less than eight minutes remaining. Building on this momentum, the Thunder orchestrated an 8-0 run, placing them firmly back in control of the game. This stretch sealed the deal, leading to Boston falling short, as they went scoreless for over three minutes right when they needed to close the gap.
Despite Boston’s three-point barrage, they struggled with the Thunder's physical play, with Jaylen Brown managing just 10 points on the night. It was hard for the Celtics to match Oklahoma City’s intensity, and Brown’s fouling out late hindered his team’s chances to rally back.
“It just was one of those games,” Brown expressed after the match. “I couldn’t get anything going offensively or defensively. It was some maybe some tough calls, but definitely Oklahoma City was the tougher team for long stretches.”
Following the close matchup, the Celtics now prepare to face the Miami Heat on Friday, March 14, 2025. Head coach Joe Mazzulla emphasized the pressure of early fouls hindering Boston’s defensive strategies, stating, “You’ve got to do your best to defend without fouling. The penalty early puts pressure on you.”
For the Thunder, they plan to continue their success during their upcoming match against the Detroit Pistons, aiming to maintain their stronghold atop the Western Conference.