After their roughest stretch in two-years, the Boston Celtics have bounced again with some drive. They’re presently on a 3-game win streak whereas having simply confronted two top-10 defenses on back-to-back nights, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets. As we speak, they’ve their work minimize out for them once more.
They’ll be dealing with off towards a red-hot Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder workforce that’s on a franchise-record 14-game win-streak. What makes the Thunder’s streak much more spectacular is that they’ve been doing it with out their second-best participant, Chet Holmgren, who has been sidelined with a hip fracture since early November. They’ve additionally been lacking one other key rotation man, Alex Caruso, who will probably be lacking his seventh straight recreation as we speak. For the Celtics, Jaylen Brown returns to the lineup after lacking the final two video games, that means Boston is at full energy.
OKC is the #1 workforce within the West in the meanwhile, presently 7 video games forward of the remainder of their convention. In addition they lead the Celtics by 3.5 video games in the meanwhile, and are extensively thought-about to be the largest risk to Boston’s objective of repeating this yr. Their star participant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, has been placing up some sensational performances these days, and lots of see him because the chief of the MVP race. As we speak’s recreation might have a variety of huge implications for a couple of completely different causes.
Which can prevail, offense or protection?
There’s little question that as we speak’s matchup is a heavyweight one. Oklahoma Metropolis has the league main internet score at 12.1, whereas Boston isn’t far behind in third with a internet score of 11.0. The 2 groups are pretty evenly matched, each excelling on each ends of the ground. The one workforce inside 3 of both of them is the Cleveland Cavaliers, who’re proper within the center with a score of 11.6.
In as we speak’s bout, every workforce’s greatest energy is barely inversed, although. The Thunder are available to as we speak’s recreation with the most effective defensive score within the league (103.6). The Celtics presently maintain the 2nd finest offensive score within the league (121.3). On the reverse finish, OKC is ranked seventh offensively (115.7) whereas Boston is ranked seventh defensively (110.3).
That leaves the query, will the Celtics have the ability to overpower the Thunder with their elite offense, or will OKC’s protection give them sufficient of an edge to beat out Boston?
Who controls the tempo?
The Thunder are a workforce that may transfer at break-neck speeds at instances. They’ve spent giant parts of the season with one or much less true facilities energetic, which has pushed them to play a variety of small-ball. Just like the Celtics, their offense incorporates a variety of drive-and-kicks that result in open threes. Shai can also be one of many league’s premier gamers in the case of attacking the paint, main all guards in factors within the paint and fifth amongst all gamers league-wide. They’ve a variety of methods to place the ball via the ring, and may drop an avalanche on groups once they get in a rhythm.
OKC is among the many league leaders in tempo and fastbreak factors, presently tenth and ninth within the league respectively. They’re additionally in sole possession of the highest spot when it comes to each forcing and changing off of turnovers, forcing 18.9 turnovers per recreation whereas producing 23.4 factors off of them. If Boston performs loosely with the ball, OKC can have their manner with this recreation. Not solely that, however the Celtics want to offer further consideration on the glass, securing boards and getting again in transition shortly once they can’t.
Can Boston preserve Shai off of the free throw line?
SGA is amongst league leaders in the case of drawing fouls, free throw makes an attempt, and free throw proportion. He’s eleventh in fouls drawn (5.6), sixth in FTA (7.9), and twentieth amongst qualifying gamers in FT% (88.5%). Given his tendency to drive to the bucket, Boston goes to have to search out methods to maintain him out of the paint and play him bodily with out fouling.
He’ll doubtless see a lot of completely different matchups between Derrick White, Jrue Vacation, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown. The final time Boston noticed SGA he had his manner with our backcourt, scoring 25 factors on 10/15 capturing towards Derrick, Jrue, and Jaylen. He struggled a bit extra when coated by Jayson, although, who held him to three factors on 1-4 capturing. Shai is taller than your common guard, standing at 6’6”, so Jayson’s dimension and size was essential in slowing him down, and certain will probably be once more as we speak.
