The Oklahoma City Thunder (53-12) visit the Boston Celtics (47-18) on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) in a marquee showdown between two of the league’s best.
OKC is No. 1 in the Western Conference and is fueled by Kia MVP contender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has solidified himself as an elite scorer and defensive anchor. The Celtics are surging lately and boast a five-game win streak while holding a 5 1/2 game lead over the New York Knicks as the East’s No. 2 seed.
The last time these teams met on Jan. 5, Gilgeous-Alexander notched 33 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Thunder to a 105-92 win for OKC’s franchise-record 15th straight win. Since then, the Thunder are 24-7 and the Celtics are 21-9, marking two of the five best records in the NBA since Jan. 5.
Gilgeous-Alexander leads the NBA in scoring (32.7 points per game) and, upon closer look, is irreplaceable for the Thunder on offense. With Gilgeous-Alexander on the floor, OKC boasts an offensive rating of 122.2. When he sits, that number drops to 107.7. Monday’s loss to Denver (140-127) was the first time since Feb. 26 that he scored less than 30 points, reinforcing how consistently dominant he has been.
Yet Gilgeous-Alexander’s impact on defense is crucial as well. He is third in the NBA in steals (1.8 steals per game) and is the only player in the top five in both offensive rating (122.2) and defensive rating (105.3) this season.
OKC’s ability to turn defense into offense fuels their league-leading 22.1 points off turnovers per game, making the Thunder one of the most disruptive teams in the league. Upon further view, Oklahoma City:
Gilgeous-Alexander’s overall impact is staggering as his +12.1 plus/minus rating is higher than any team in the NBA except his own (+12.6). Here’s a closer look:
- OKC: +12.6
- Gilgeous-Alexander: +12.1
- Cavs: +11.4
- Celtics: +8.7
- Grizzlies: +5.9
Three-point shooting has fueled Boston’s success in 2024-25 and has been the case during its win streak, too. In their last five games, the Celtics have hit at least 13 3-pointers per game, including 23 makes in a win over Portland last Wednesday.
The Celtics are No. 2 in the NBA in scoring (120.6 ppg) and allow 109.2 ppg (No. 3 in NBA) while OKC is No. 1 in opponent 3-point percentage (33.6%) and contested 3-pointers (18.9 per game). The mix of styles and strengths could make for some interesting strategy in tonight’s matchup.
Last time these teams met, the Celtics shot 9-for-46 (19.6%) on 3-pointers as OKC rallied to win at home. If Boston wants to flip the script, they’ll need a much stronger showing against Gilgeous-Alexander, who allows opponents to shoot just 32.7% from beyond the arc (3.5% below their normal percentage).
