After their roughest stretch in two-years, the Boston Celtics have bounced again with some pressure. They’re at present 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. At this time, they’ve their work lower out for them once more.
They’ll be dealing with off towards a red-hot Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder crew 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 in the present day. For the Celtics, Jaylen Brown returns to the lineup after lacking the final two video games, which means Boston is at full power.
OKC is the #1 crew within the West in the mean time, at present 7 video games forward of the remainder of their convention. Additionally they lead the Celtics by 3.5 video games in the mean time, and are broadly thought of to be the most important risk to Boston’s aim of repeating this 12 months. Their star participant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, has been placing up some sensational performances currently, and plenty of see him because the chief of the MVP race. At this time’s recreation may have a variety of massive implications for just a few totally different causes.
Which can prevail, offense or protection?
There’s little question that in the present day’s matchup is a heavyweight one. Oklahoma Metropolis has the league main internet ranking at 12.1, whereas Boston isn’t far behind in third with a internet ranking of 11.0. The 2 groups are pretty evenly matched, each excelling on each ends of the ground. The one crew inside 3 of both of them is the Cleveland Cavaliers, who’re proper within the center with a ranking of 11.6.
In in the present day’s bout, every crew’s largest power is barely inversed, although. The Thunder are available to in the present day’s recreation with the perfect defensive ranking within the league (103.6). The Celtics at present maintain the 2nd finest offensive ranking 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 crew that may transfer at break-neck speeds at instances. They’ve spent giant parts of the season with one or much less true facilities lively, 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 be one of many league’s premier gamers in relation to 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 by means of the ring, and might drop an avalanche on groups after they get in a rhythm.
OKC is among the many league leaders in tempo and fastbreak factors, at present 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 may have their method with this recreation. Not solely that, however the Celtics want to present further consideration on the glass, securing boards and getting again in transition rapidly after they can’t.
Can Boston hold Shai off of the free throw line?
SGA is amongst league leaders in relation to drawing fouls, free throw makes an attempt, and free throw share. 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 seemingly see quite a lot of totally different matchups between Derrick White, Jrue Vacation, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown. The final time Boston noticed SGA he had his method 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 in the present day.
