Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 36 points and Josh Giddey had 18 points and 10 assists as the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped a three-game losing streak with a 123-108 victory over the Boston Celtics on Monday night.
Thunder dominate from the start
The Thunder took control of the game from the opening tip, jumping out to a 15-4 lead and never trailing. They led by as many as 28 points in the first half and shot 55% from the field for the game. They also made 16 of 37 3-pointers and outrebounded the Celtics 48-38.
Gilgeous-Alexander was the catalyst for the Thunder’s offense, scoring 21 points in the first half and finishing with his fifth 30-point game of the season. He made 13 of 20 shots, including four 3-pointers, and added six rebounds and five assists. He also had two steals and a block.
“Gilgeous-Alexander is a really good player,” Celtics coach Ime Udoka said. “He’s got a lot of confidence, he’s got a lot of skill, he’s got a lot of size. He’s tough to guard one-on-one and he makes the right plays.”
Celtics struggle without Brown and Horford
The Celtics were without two of their starters, Jaylen Brown and Al Horford, who were both in health and safety protocols. They also lost Marcus Smart to a right ankle sprain in the third quarter. Smart had 12 points and seven assists before leaving the game.
The Celtics had trouble finding their rhythm on both ends of the floor, shooting 43% from the field and 29% from 3-point range. They also committed 18 turnovers, leading to 23 points for the Thunder.
“We didn’t play well enough to win,” Celtics guard Dennis Schroder said. “We didn’t defend well enough, we didn’t move the ball well enough, we didn’t make shots. We just have to be better.”
Schroder led the Celtics with 28 points and eight assists. Jayson Tatum had 23 points and nine rebounds, but made only eight of 22 shots. Robert Williams III had 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Thunder’s young core impresses
The Thunder improved to 14-19 with the win, while the Celtics fell to 16-18. The Thunder have the youngest roster in the NBA, but they showed their potential and resilience against a more experienced team.
Giddey, the 19-year-old rookie from Australia, had his third double-double of the season and his second in a row. He also grabbed seven rebounds and made three 3-pointers. He said he enjoys playing with Gilgeous-Alexander, who is only 23 years old.
“He’s a superstar in this league,” Giddey said of Gilgeous-Alexander. “He makes the game so easy for me and everyone else on the floor. He’s a great leader, a great teammate, and a great person. I’m lucky to have him as a mentor and a friend.”
The Thunder also got contributions from other young players, such as Tre Mann, who scored 14 points off the bench, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, who had 10 points and eight rebounds. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault praised his team’s effort and execution.
“I thought we played a really good game,” Daigneault said. “I thought we played with a lot of force, a lot of pace, a lot of ball movement. I thought we defended really well. I thought we played a really complete game.”
