The Oklahoma City Thunder secured their place in the playoffs on Wednesday night by defeating the Boston Celtics, 118-112. This victory marked their second win over the Celtics this season.
After the game, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shared his thoughts, saying, “It’s a big deal. The Celtics have achieved what we aspire to, so playing against them always raises the stakes and excitement. They’ve done what we’re aiming for, and there’s no tougher challenge in the NBA.”
Gilgeous-Alexander had an impressive performance, scoring 34 points, along with grabbing 5 rebounds and dishing out 7 assists in his 39 minutes on the court. Chet Holmgren also had a standout game, contributing 23 points and pulling down 15 rebounds.
Notably, the Thunder’s win came despite the absence of Jalen Williams.
On the other side, the Celtics struggled with their shooting, making just 20 of their 63 attempts from beyond the arc. Coach Joe Mazzulla, however, remained positive about the quality of shots his team managed to create. “I thought we got great looks,” he remarked. “That’s the cornerstone of their defense—protect the paint first. They defend aggressively, but I felt our 2-on-1 reads were solid, and overall, we generated some excellent opportunities throughout the game.”
For the Celtics, attempting 47 catch-and-shoot threes turned out to be the second-highest number in the history of the franchise.
