Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (35) and Jaylen Brown (34) went back and forth in their last meeting.
The Boston Celtics (47-24, 2nd in the Eastern Conference) host the Oklahoma City Thunder (57-15, 1st in the Western Conference) on Wednesday at TD Garden.
In a matchup between the last two NBA champions, the Celtics and Thunder will meet for the last time in the regular season. The Thunder are the hottest team in the league and come into this game on a 12-game winning streak after their 123-103 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. Meanwhile, the Celtics will try 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 loss.
Here are three key storylines you should know heading into tonight’s showdown:
1. Expect a playoff-like atmosphere at TD Garden: The Celtics are on the verge of clinching a playoff spot and are in a tight battle with the New York Knicks for second place in the East. The Thunder have already clinched a playoff spot, but their No. 1 seed in the West isn’t set in stone, as they hold just a three-game lead over the red-hot San Antonio Spurs. There is a lot riding on this game, so expect a playoff-like atmosphere. The Celtics will certainly benefit from a high-stakes atmosphere at TD Garden, as they are 24-11 at home this season, the third-best record in the Eastern Conference. The Thunder don’t seem to faze even in the loudest environments, with a 28-8 road record, the best in the NBA.
2. Jaylen Brown remains the clear number one 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’s 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 points per game and attempting 18.8 field goals. Meanwhile, Tatum is averaging 19.1 points on 17.4 field goal attempts. Tatum is understandably still regaining his best form, but Brown has emphatically shown that he can carry the scoring load this season.
3. Jalen Williams will be the Thunder’s X-Factor down the stretch: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is making a bid for a second straight Kia MVP, but if the Thunder want to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy for a second straight season, Williams needs to be 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 returned in the win over Philadelphia on Monday, posting 18 points, six assists and four rebounds in 20 minutes. The Thunder have won 11 straight games without Williams in the lineup, but the team is at its best with the former All-Star forward in the lineup. Despite the long absences, Williams has averaged 17.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists. Additionally, the Thunder have gone 20-7 with him in the starting five this season.