Everything you need to know about the Celtics 112-111 win over the Thunder with BSJ insight and analysis
Box Score
HEADLINES
Healthy starting five carries C’s to seventh straight win: The Celtics full starting five was reunited for the first time in nearly two weeks and the unit combined for 96 points to help the C’s hold on for a 112-111 win in Oklahoma City, their seventh straight win overall. Jayson Tatum led the way in a 10-point halftime rally with 19 of his 26 points coming in the second half, while Kemba Walker chipped in with a game-high 28 points including a pair of big 3s in the fourth quarter. All five starters were in double figures with Gordon Hayward (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Daniel Theis (13 points, 13 rebounds) chipping in with double-doubles as well.
The biggest play of the game however came from none other than Marcus Smart who stripped Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the final minute in a one-possession game, eliminating the Thunder’s best chance at pulling off a desperation comeback in the final few minutes. Gilgeous-Alexander had a team-high 24 points for OKC, who saw their four-game winning streak come to a close.
The Celtics now head to Houston to try to continue their hot streak on Tuesday night after winning 10 of their last 11 games overall.
Jaylen Brown hurts ankle again but plays through it: The swingman was back after missing two games with a sprained ankle but he tweaked one again in the second half of the win. After a brief absence, Brown played through the pain on his way to a productive 17-point outing but the Celtics will certainly need to monitor his condition closely in the upcoming week before a lengthy All-Star break gives him the rest when he needs.
TURNING POINT
The Celtics nearly gave this game away in the final two minutes after a number of missed shots and turnovers opened the door for the Thunder to tie the game in the final 20 seconds. However, Smart made the critical strip of the Gilgeous-Alexander above the 3-point line, effectively ending any chance of a comeback.
Another day, another @smart_MS3 game-winning play. pic.twitter.com/ZGTCfBMyu1
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) February 9, 2020
THREE UP
Gordon Hayward in the first half: The swingman was a steady presence during the first half, leading the visitors in points (9), rebounds (4) and assists (2) while adding a block in his 16 minutes. He had the fewest shot attempts of any starter in the first half as well but knocked down 3-of-5 from the field.
Jayson Tatum: After a relatively quiet first half (7 points), Tatum erupted for 12 points in the first six minutes of the second half, helping the C’s erase a 10-point lead at halftime. He finished with 19 in the second half overall on his way to 26 points, and is averaging 26 ppg in his last 12 games overall on 50 percent shooting from the field.
Daniel Theis: The center looked great after missing the last two games with a sprained ankle, outplaying Steven Adams down low with 13 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, one shy of his career-high.
TWO DOWN
Kemba Walker in the first half: The All-Star really struggled to finish on the Thunder’s length around the rim in the first half, going just 3-of-11 from the field and 1-of-5 from inside the arc before finding his rhythm in the second half, drilling a couple of clutch 3s in the fourth quarter over Danilo Gallinari.
Romeo Langford: It was nice to see the rookie get another opportunity after two straight strong efforts but he piled up three fouls in six minutes, biting on a number of pump fakes from the Thunder guards. He may have gotten a bad whistle on one or two of those, but he needs to get better staying on his feet.
TOP PLAY
Yup. Looks like an All-Star to me. pic.twitter.com/ltEgdr3e9r
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) February 9, 2020
TWO TAKES B-ROBB WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER
Daniel Theis is looks more like one of the best signings of the offseason: It went under the radar compared to some of the other moves this team made this summer but the C’s locking up Theis for two years and just $10 million total looks like a huge bargain on a day like this. Even with the C’s best five players healthy, Theis played for 30 minutes in this one and easily won the battle of the centers against a guy making four times as much as him this season in Steven Adams. For all the talk about Boston needing to add a big at the trade deadline, Theis has been giving the C’s the best of both worlds lately doing a little bit of everything in this one (13 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists), and perhaps most importantly giving this team maximum defensive versatility still when he’s on the floor and has to challenge guards on the drive. Robert Williams may be coming back next month but Theis is still going to be the best center on this roster for the next two years and perhaps longer thanks to his two-way play.
Brad Stevens made important rotation changes in the second half: The Celtics may be healthy now but Brad Stevens still tried to get a little too cute with his subs in this one, going 10 deep into the bench when it wasn’t necessary against a good playoff team on the road. He tightened things up after the break by keeping Langford on the bench and making sure two of his best four players were on the floor together at some point for the final 24 minutes. That type of balance helped the C’s avoid an offensive slump that forced them to fall behind by nine in the first half and it should be what makes this team especially dangerous moving forward. With the minutes load for Boston’s best talent only going up during the postseason, it’s going to be tough for teams to find a way to match up with the C’s on both ends of the floor.
