Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder defeat the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics on the street to cement their standing as championship favourites.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 factors because the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder punched their ticket to the playoffs with a powerful 118-112 victory over the reigning champion Boston Celtics in a possible NBA Finals sneak preview.
Gilgeous-Alexander enhanced his credentials as favorite for the Most Helpful Participant (MVP) award with an excellent efficiency to silence Boston’s TD Backyard house crowd in an absorbing duel settled by a burst of fourth-quarter Thunder scoring.
The Canadian level guard shot 11-of-20 from the sector to complete with 5 rebounds, seven assists and 34 factors, together with 10-of-11 from the free throw line.
The victory lifted Western Convention leaders Oklahoma Metropolis to a 54-12 win-loss file for the season and assured their place in subsequent month’s playoffs.
Wednesday’s win over a vastly extra skilled Boston lineup marked one other mature show from a Thunder facet that’s the youngest within the league.
Oklahoma Metropolis successfully sealed victory late within the fourth, pulling away to open up a double-digit lead with just below two minutes remaining after Cason Wallace nailed an excellent 24-foot three-pointer adopted by a driving reverse layup.
Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned the Thunder’s defensive solidity amid a barrage of 63 tried threes from Boston had supplied the muse for the win.
“We have been capable of get stops, and that’s been the development for us just lately,” he advised ESPN.
“While you’re coming down the stretch towards an excellent basketball staff with good gamers, you’ve obtained to discover a manner, and we did so tonight and gave ourselves an opportunity.”
Whereas Gilgeous-Alexander grabbed the scoring headlines, the towering Chet Holmgren caught the attention with a double-double of 23 factors with 15 rebounds.
“Everyone knows the participant Chet Holmgren is,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned of his 22-year-old teammate. “He’s a stud, and he’s going to be a stud for a really very long time. He’ll proceed to develop and proceed to be particular.”
Boston’s scoring was led by Jayson Tatum with 33 factors, whereas Derrick White had 22.
Regardless of lacking Jaylin Williams from the lineup, the Thunder completed with seven gamers scoring in double figures towards the Celtics.
Oklahoma Metropolis haven’t received an NBA title since 1979, when the franchise was situated in Washington state they usually have been referred to as the Seattle SuperSonics.
