Who Will Win the Elite Matchup Between the Two NBA Finals Contenders?
The Boston Celtics will host the Oklahoma City Thunder this Wednesday at TD Garden. The Celtics are currently the second seed in the Eastern Conference with a 47-18 record, and the Thunder are first in the Western Conference with a 53-12 record. The two teams are favorites to win this year’s NBA championship. In their last meeting, the Thunder beat the Celtics 105-92, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the Thunder with 33 points and Jayson Tatum leading the Celtics with 26 points. The Thunder have won three of their last five matchups.
Although no official decision has been made, the Thunder may lose an essential player, forward Jalen Williams, for their game against the Celtics. In their loss to the Denver Nuggets last night, Williams’s minutes ended early after undergoing a right hip strain. The Celtics may also be dealing with their own bug of injuries; small forward Jayson Tatum and center Al Horford are considered questionable due to right knee tendinopathy and a left big toe sprain, respectively, and sat out for their game against the Utah Jazz. However, there is a chance this may have merely been cautionary, as the Jazz are considered an easy matchup for the Celtics. Center Kristaps Porzingis is also out due to an unidentified illness.
This matchup between the Celtics and Thunder could go either way if their key players remain healthy; history between the two corroborates that, although the Thunder may be slightly more favored. If Jalen Williams of the Thunder sits out, the game will likely remain a toss-up. If Jayson Tatum and Al Horford of the Celtics sit out, the game will almost certainly go to the Thunder, even with Jalen Williams out. The Oklahoma City Thunder are currently fourth in offensive rating, while the Celtics are third. The Thunder are also first in defensive rating, while the Celtics are fifth. Although the Celtics rank above the Thunder in offense, the recent return of Chet Holmgren, alongside starting players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Isaiah Hartenstein, Jalen Williams, and Lu Dort, is a scary matchup on both offense and defense for any team in the NBA. The healthy Celtics, in their recent game against the Los Angeles Lakers, put on a defensive clinic and should aim to maintain that, in particular, making life more difficult for Gilgeous-Alexander like they did for Luka Doncic that night. This game could potentially be a preview of the NBA finals and two MVP contenders, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jayson Tatum, and will certainly be a must-watch.
