NBA

OKC Thunder to Battle Boston Celtics

The OKC Thunder will try to bounce back from having their six-game win streak snapped, as they prepare to host the Boston Celtics.

By admin

The OKC Thunder look to recover against the Boston Celtics.
The OKC Thunder look to recover against the Boston Celtics.

After having their six-game win streak snapped by the Houston Rockets, the OKC Thunder (14-9) will be looking to bounce back against the visiting Boston Celtics (13-10). OKC lost at home to Houston, 102-99, despite a historic, record-tying triple-double performance from superstar Russell Westbrook. Likewise, the Celtics will be heading into Oklahoma City having been beaten by Eastern Conference second seed Toronto Raptors, 101-94. This will be the first of two meetings between the two teams.

The OKC Thunder will have one full day to recuperate since their defeat at the hands of the Rockets. Boston meanwhile, will also have one day off to travel and prepare for their matchup with the Thunder. Interestingly,  as the Celtics arrived in Oklahoma City’s Will Rogers World Airport, the FBI had to go through a thorough search of their chartered plane as well as all their belongings, owing to a bomb threat scare that turned out to be a hoax.

Something that Boston definitely brought though is a streak of 225 consecutive games without allowing a triple-double against them. This is the longest active such streak in the NBA, which started after January 22, 2014, when Washington Wizards superstar John Wall notched 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. While both teams will be looking for a victory first and foremost, it’s not everyday that one gets to pass Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson on the record books. The OKC Thunder point guard enters the game with a triple-double average: 30.9 ppg (2nd), 11.9 apg (2nd) and 10.8 rpg (9th).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0dHhwUmh-M

As a team, the OKC Thunder are 7th in scoring, 107.0 ppg, and 17th in points allowed, 104.7 ppg for a +2.3 point differential (11th). The Thunder are also 4th in the NBA in rebounding (46.1 rpg) and 11th in assists (22.4 apg).

By comparison, the Celtics are 13th in scoring, 104.8 ppg, and 14th in points allowed, 103.1 ppg, for a +1.7 point differential, which follows the OKC Thunder at 12th. Boston is almost polar opposites of the OKC Thunder; 3rd in assists (24.7 apg) and 25th in rebounding (42.4 rpg).

Celtics All-Star Isaiah Thomas, 26.0 ppg, has been ruled out of the game because of a sore groin.