Oklahoma City Thunder vs Boston Celtics: Match Preview and Predictions - 8th March 2020
Match Details
Fixture: Oklahoma City Thunder vs Boston Celtics
Date & Time: Sunday, 8 March 2020 (5:00 PM ET)
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Last Game Results
Oklahoma City Thunder (39-24): 126-103 win over New York Knicks (6 March, Friday)
Boston Celtics (42-20): 94-99 loss to Utah Jazz (6 March, Friday)
Oklahoma City Thunder Preview
The Oklahoma City Thunder have now won seven of their last 10 games, and find themselves at the 6th spot on the Western Conference leaderboard with a promising 39-24 (0.619) win-loss record.
Despite the OKC lineup missing Darius Bazley (knee) and Andre Roberson (knee), they are well on their way to bagging a playoff berth in the competitive Western Conference.
Key Player - Chris Paul
Prior to the season, Chris Paul was not very sure of this OKC team's success. But his leadership and immaculate skills have resulted in something special for Oklahoma this year.
The 10-time All-Star is averaging impressive numbers in 17.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game so far. He is shooting a decent 36% from beyond the arc and nearly 49% from the field this year, all while committing just 2.2 turnovers a game.
Thunder Predicted Lineup
Danilo Gallinari, Chris Paul, Luguentz Dort, Shai Gilgeous Alexander, Steven Adams
Boston Celtics Preview
The Boston Celtics have found it hard to field a healthy lineup all year long. Currently, they are without Jaylen Brown (hamstring) and Gordon Hayward (right knee), as they look to make a final dash for the second spot in the East.
Their current record of 42-20 (0.677) puts them two games behind the second seed Toronto Raptors. Although they have been hit by injuries consistently, Coach Brad Stevens has done a brilliant job of drawing the most out of the ones available.
Key Player - Jayson Tatum
With five players averaging in double digits, Jayson Tatum leads the scoring for the Celtics with a career-high average of 23.6 points per game. He is shooting almost 40% from the three-point line and also averaging 7.1 boards, 3 assists and 1.3 steals per matchup so far.
The 21-year-old is playing like the All-Star he is on both ends of the court. Even with under 2 personal fouls per game, Tatum's defensive intensity is off the charts this season.
Celtics Predicted Lineup
Semi Ojeleye, Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker, Daniel Theis, Marcus Smart
Thunder vs Celtics Match Prediction
The Celtics will look to bounce back and avoid the second loss of a back-to-back. They have lost five of their last 10, but the visiting Thunder will find it hard to register a win at the TD Garden.
Despite an injury-riddled lineup, Boston outmatch OKC in terms of talent and resilience.
Where to Watch Thunder vs Celtics?
The clash will be nationally televised on NBA TV. There will also be local coverage of the game on Fox Sports Oklahoma and NBC Sports Boston from 5:00 PM ET. You can also stream the game via NBA League Pass.