Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (35) and Jaylen Brown (34) went back and forth in their last meeting.
The Boston Celtics (47-24, 2nd in Eastern Conference) host the Oklahoma City Thunder (57-15, 1st in Western Conference) on Wednesday at TD Garden.
In a matchup between the last two NBA champions, the Celtics and Thunder will square off for the final time in the regular season. The Thunder are the hottest team in the league and enter this game on a 12-game winning streak after their 123-103 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. Meanwhile, the Celtics will aim to get back into the win column after a 102-92 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, although they won four straight before that defeat.
Here are three key storylines to know heading into tonight’s matchup:
1. Expect a playoff-like atmosphere at TD Garden: The Celtics are on the verge of clinching a playoff berth and are in a tight battle with the New York Knicks for the No. 2 seed in the East. The Thunder have already secured a playoff spot, but their No. 1 standing in the West isn’t set in stone, as they hold just a three-game lead over the red-hot San Antonio Spurs. The stakes will be high in this game, so expect a playoff-like atmosphere. The Celtics will certainly benefit from a high-stakes atmosphere in TD Garden, as they’ve gone 24-11 at home this season, the third-best mark in the Eastern Conference. The Thunder don’t seem to get fazed even in the most raucous environments, sporting an NBA-best 28-8 road record.
2. Jaylen Brown remains the clear No. 1 option for the Celtics: One of the biggest questions for the Celtics following the return of Jayson Tatum, who made his season debut on March 6 against the Mavericks, was Jaylen Brown’s role moving forward. Brown has helped get the Celtics to this point and continues to produce at an elite level with Tatum back in the fold. It has been a career year for Brown with averages of 28.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.0 steals, and since Tatum’s return, Brown is averaging 26.3 ppg while attempting 18.8 field goals. Meanwhile, Tatum is averaging 19.1 points on 17.4 field goal attempts. Tatum is still understandably working his way back into peak form, but Brown has emphatically shown he can carry the scoring burden this season.
3. Jalen Williams will be the X-Factor for the Thunder down the stretch: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is making a bid for a second consecutive Kia MVP, but if the Thunder want to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy for a second consecutive season, Williams needs to be just as good as he was in last year’s title run. The star forward has been dealing with several hamstring injuries throughout the season and made his return in the win over Philadelphia on Monday, tallying 18 points, six assists and four rebounds across 20 minutes. The Thunder did win 11 games in a row without Williams in the lineup, but the team is at its best with the former All-Star forward in the lineup. Despite the lengthy absences, Williams has averaged 17.5 points, 4.7 boards and 5.4 assists. Plus, the Thunder have gone 20-7 with him in the starting five this season.
