The Oklahoma City Thunder and Boston Celtics are set to square off in a potential NBA Finals preview.
The two teams with the second and third best records in the NBA face off in what is somewhat of an important game for both the Boston Celtics and the Oklahoma City Thunder. This game won't affect the standings as much as it could be a team morale-boosting victory for one of these teams, as both are legit title contenders. This will be the final time these two squads face each other during the regular season, and the only way they can meet in the playoffs is if both teams advance to the NBA Finals.
The Celtics are 8-2 in their last 10 games and are coming off a huge victory against the Los Angeles Lakers, where star forward Jayson Tatum flirted with a triple-double as he scored 40 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and dished out eight assists against their rival. The Thunder recently split a back-to-back with the Nuggets, as they are also 8-2 in their last 10 games. The Thunder have an MVP front-runner in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as he has been absolutely unstoppable this season. His footwork, handles, and finishing at the rim have been elite, and he has been smooth, controlled, and clutch throughout the season.
Will the Thunder's Defense Be Able to Shutdown the Celtics From Behind the Arc Again?
One factor to keep an eye on is to see if the Celtics are able to defend their home court against one of the better road teams in the league. The Thunder are actually tied with the Celtics for the 2nd best road record in the NBA at 24-7. The Thunder's stifling defensive efforts could become a problem if the Celtics can't get it going from downtown. They live and die by the three, as they lead the NBA in three-point attempts per game at 48.
To show just how much the Celtics rely on the three ball, the next closest team in 3-pointer attempts is the Bulls at 42.9 attempts per game. The Thunder are the 2nd best team at defending the three-pointer, but the Celtics own the 6th best three-point percentage in the NBA, so something will have to give. The last time these teams played, the Thunder defeated the Celtics in Oklahoma City by a score of 105-92.
The Thunder were able to hold the Celtics to an abysmal 9 for 46 from downtown, which is 19.6 percent. They also held Tatum and Jaylen Brown to a combined 3 for 12 from downtown. Thunder forward Jalen Williams has been ruled out due to injury, so Lugentz Dort and Alex Caruso may have to harbor the responsibility of guarding Tatum and Brown on the perimeter as they will try and replicate their success from the last time they played each other. Cason Wallace could also play a factor with his defensive presence off the bench as well.
Getting to the Foul Line For the Celtics Will Be Key
The one thing that was a positive for the Celtics in their loss to the Thunder earlier this season was their ability to get to the charity stripe as they shot 21 for 24. Both Tatum and Brown are ranked in the top 20 in total free throw attempts, and if the shots don't fall for them early, look for them to attack the lane and try to get to the foul line.
Thunder center Chet Holmgren could prevent some of those attempts with his defensive presence inside the paint, but Tatum and Brown have no problem challenging a 7-footer at the point of attack. Whether out of the pick-and-roll or in isolation, the duo of Tatum and Brown are 2 of the best at beating opponents off the dribble. During the course of their careers, the Celtics dynamic duo adapted their games to become versatile enough to be able to play through contact and to be able to finish plays and get to the foul line.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazulla understands the importance of his team getting to the line and that was the main reason their last game against the Thunder didn't end up becoming a blowout. The more fouls the Celtics can get the Thunder to commit, the less aggressive they may become on the defensive end.
Matchup to Watch: Shai Gilgeous Alexander vs Derrick White
The Thunder will only go as far as SGA takes them, so expect him to attack early and try to find his rhythm. Once he gets it going, he is difficult to contain, and the rest of his team feeds off his energy.
The Celtics could assign a multitude of players to guard SGA in an attempt to keep Tatum and Brown out of foul trouble and to try and keep them prepared and fresh to be able to battle in the 4th quarter. Derrick White is the most likely candidate to draw the assignment of guarding SGA, especially since Jrue Holiday has missed time due to injury.
White is small in stature at 6-foot-4, but he is one of the better defenders in the NBA and could give SGA problems in half-court sets. White is a lot stronger than he appears and is able to hold his own in the paint defensively. White is an elite defender, but SGA is an MVP front-runner for a reason.