BSJ Live Coverage: Thunder 118, Celtics 112 - OKC lives at the line and Celtics die by the 3

Everything you need to know about the Celtics' loss to the Thunder, with BSJ insight and analysis.

IN A NUTSHELL

The Celtics hit nothing but 3-pointers in the first to stay within three of an OKC team burying Boston in the paint. The trend continued in the second as the teams played even. The Jayson Tatum/Shai Gilgeous-Alexander duel ramped up in the third and the teams went into the fourth tied. They were still tied almost halfway through the fourth quarter, the Celtics 'cold shooting caught up to them and OKC pulled away. 

Box Score

HEADLINES

- OKC is pretty good: I know, this is a shockingly hot take to have about a 54-win team running away with the West’s top seed, but seeing it in person is always a good reminder of how good they really are. It’s not just talent, either. They play hard, connected basketball at a great pace. Even without two key players, this is a team whose scheme and effort is enough to carry the day. 

- Tatum-SGA duel: I will watch this game on TV tomorrow, so I don’t know how it was treated nationally, but this was a fun duel between two of the league’s top superstars. Gilgeous Alexander, perhaps the MVP favorite at this point, had 34 points, five rebounds, and seven assists while shooting 55%. Jayson Tatum had 33/8/8 while shooting 52%. This was fun. 

- Not enough help: Jaylen Brown might have played his worst game of the season. Jrue Holiday and Payton Pritchard combined to shoot 3-16 from 3. Even an average game from one of those guys might have been enough to come away with the win. 

- Free throw disparity: Oklahoma City was 25-35 from the line while Boston was 10-12. The Thunder were aggressive the whole night while Boston shot 63 3-pointers, so it’s not surprising that they shot more free throws. A disparity that big was a killer. 

“You're not going to keep them off the line. They're very intentional about that, and they have been all season,” Tatum said. “But there is a balance between that and 35 free throws. Granted, some of them were fouls. Some of them we gotta be better at. But I'm not saying that's why we lost or that's the ref's fault or anything like that. That's how it's going to be in the playoffs. So yeah, you want to match that intensity and you just want it to be the same on both sides. But that's not why we lost. At all."

TURNING POINT 

The Celtics had it tied with eight minutes to go, but OKC went on an 8-0 run … or an extended 17-7 run if you prefer … to take control. The Celtics missed six straight 3-pointers at one point during this stretch. 

THINGS I LIKED

- Jayson Tatum: I feel like this is where he starts building momentum for next year’s MVP race. This year’s is too far gone. Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic are the far-and-away favorites at this point and no one is cracking that vote. But what Tatum has been doing lately deserves more conversation, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he rises to third in the voting if he keeps this up.

He was awesome in this game, and he probably could have had 12 assists if some guys hit an average amount of shots. 

- Al Horford: Losing when he has night like this feels like a real wasted opportunity. It’s rare that Horford and Derrick White both have great games and Boston loses. Horford finished with 18 points, all on three points (6-12), 10 rebounds, six assists, a steal, and two blocks. 

- Derrick White: He was also 6-12 from 3 to finish with 22 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, and three blocks. These are winning numbers even though he ended up fouling out, which shows how little Boston got everywhere else. 

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE

- Jaylen Brown: The numbers are stark: 10 points on 5-15 shooting (0-5 3pt). He had two assists, two steals, and a block, so he had a couple of moments here and there, but overall he had a rough night in a game Boston really needed him. 

“I didn't meet the level of physicality tonight. I had no free throw attempts, and that's unusual,” Brown said. “I thought we had a good game plan. Just gotta win those matchups. We didn't win them tonight. I didn't win mine tonight, so, that cost us the game.”

- Second half shooting: The Celtics were 15-36 from 3 in the first half but just 5-27 in the second. The Thunder were packing the paint and Boston was getting a lot of shots they wanted. 

“I’m pretty happy with it, with us taking those kind of shots with the shooters that we have,” Horford said. “If we make a few more of those, it’s probably a different story. That wasn’t the case, but I’m OK with that.”

Pritchard and Holiday’s rough shooting nights really hurt. 

- Fouling: Everyone knows the Thunder attack and want to get to the free throw line. The Celtics played into that by being out of position and playing into the grifting OKC is known for. We can complain all we want about SGA’s little tricks, but those aren’t new. The Celtics need to keep their hands up high and not let him wrap and pull and flail. 

A couple more made 3-pointers, a few less fouls, and anything remotely normal from Brown make this a completely different game. 

HIGHLIGHTS

FOUR TAKES KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- This was a good lesson for Boston.

The Thunder play at a different speed. They play at a different level of physicality. They are a different breed of NBA team and much more dangerous than the Cleveland Cavaliers. I think Mark Daigneault has a strong case to be the best coach in the NBA.

These guys play hard, they play connected, and they play smart. That's a really tough combination to beat. Getting this taste of what to expect should they meet again is important. 

As much as things could have been different with a few different outcomes, the fact remains that those outcomes didn’t happen and OKC’s effort and execution were a big part of why. The Thunder came out and won this game. They were better. Period. Full Stop. 

- They’ll need Kristaps Porzingis to beat OKC in the Finals.

Both teams were shorthanded, but an elite rim protector like Porzingis, who can really punish the Thunder offensively makes a big difference. Boston was really missing a shot-blocker to help back up the perimeter guys, which I think is partly why Brown and White got into foul trouble. 

It also would have been nice to have a post-up option in the middle of the paint when OKC went to the zone. Porzingis could have broken down that Thunder defense a little bit. 

All of which makes getting him to the Finals healthy one of the biggest priorities Boston has. Beating the Thunder without Porzingis is still possible, but much less likely. 

- I'm okay with the shots.

I never really thought Boston was forcing the 3-pointers. They were taking a lot of them, but I never thought it was too many. I just think the Thunder game plan was to live with it and hope for the best. It worked, but will a plan like that work four times in seven tries? 

I think Boston mostly generated quality 3-pointers. I know people are saying they weren’t hitting so they needed to try something different, but the attacking wasn’t quite working for them either. 

I’m not going to get too caught up in makes and misses. I think they were good looks and you have to live with the results. 

- Rest Jaylen Brown.

Brown swore that he felt better than he has in weeks, but I don’t buy it. He looked slow and sluggish out there. I think it’ll be malpractice to play him in both of these back-to-back games coming up, especially with the short turnaround and all that travel. 

I say keep him home on Friday and have him meet the team in Brooklyn on Saturday. Or sit him both games if they prefer. Giving him four days off right now would be huge. 

Next up: The Celtics hit the road to face Miami on Friday night.