Defending NBA champions Boston Celtics are set to have their title credentials tested when they take on the team arguably best placed to succeed them, the Oklahoma City Thunder, at TD Garden on Thursday.
The home side will head into this fixture seeking a sixth victory on the bounce, while their visitors will go in search of an immediate return to winning ways having been beaten for the first time in eight outings last time out.
Match preview
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Fresh from defeating their biggest rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, snapping their eight-game winning run in the process, the Boston Celtics just about did enough to claim a 114-108 triumph over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday.
A dominant display across the opening three quarters saw Joe Mazzulla's men romp to a 21-point advantage heading into the final 12 minutes, during which they saw their lead wiped out with just under these minutes left before embarking on a late 11-4 run.
With talisman Jayson Tatum not in action due to a knee problem, Sam Hauser notched a season-high 33 points to lead his side in scoring while Jaylen Brown racked up 26 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
Now 47-18 for the season, the Celtics continue to stave off the New York Knicks in the race to finish as runners-up to Eastern Conference leaders Cleveland Cavaliers, who recently became the first team to book a playoff spot.
Thursday's hosts will now set out to wrap up their seven-game homestretch with yet another victory in front of their fans, but their record against the Thunder has not been great of late, with three defeats from four meetings since the start of 2023.
In a game that sees two of the three teams with the fewest points allowed per game this term go head to head, both teams will need to be on their offensive A-game to stand any chance of emerging victorious here.
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Less than 36 hours after claiming a resounding 127-103 triumph over the Denver Nuggets, the Oklahoma City Thunder were beaten 140-127 in the second of two straight meetings at PayCom Arena on Tuesday.
Following a thrilling first half that saw both teams shoot over 50% from the field, Mark Daigneault's men were up six at the interval but relinquished their advantage in the third quarter before they were put to be in the final 12 minutes.
While he could not replicate his 40-point display from Sunday's affair, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 25 points to keep his 59-game run of scoring at least 20 points going, which is the longest streak in the NBA.
Despite dropping to a 53-12 record across 65 games, the Thunder are 11 wins clear at the top of the Western Conference standings and are just one triumph away from confirming their place in the postseason.
Kicking off a run of five straight games against Eastern opponents, Tuesday's visitors have the opportunity to make the best start possible before taking on the Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers and the Charlotte Hornets.
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Team News
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Jalen Williams had to come off with a hip strain in the second quarter of the Thunder's defeat to the Nuggets last time out, making him one to keep an eye on here.
Meanwhile, Ajay Mitchell and Nikola Topic are guaranteed absentees through toe and knee injuries respectively, with the latter not expected to feature again this season.
Jayson Tatum was absent against the Jazz and could make his comeback for the Celtics here alongside Al Horford, who is currently nursing a minor toe issue.
Kristaps Porzingis recently announced he is dealing with an unidentified viral illness, which has left the Latvia international without a timetable regarding his return to action.
Boston Celtics possible starting five:
White, Holiday; Tatum, Brown; Horford
Oklahoma City Thunder starting five:
Gilgeous-Alexander, Dort; Wallace, Holmgren; Hartenstein
We say: Thunder to win by 5+ points
Given the quality on display for both sides, we are anticipating a keenly contested but exciting affair nonetheless here.
That said, we can also see the away side narrowly edging out the hosts to claim a second straight win in this fixture and complete a series sweep for the season.
Adepoju Marvellous
