The upcoming clash between Boston and the hosting Oklahoma City will feature a showdown between these formidable teams.
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As 2024 dawned, it came as no shock that the Boston Celtics boasted the NBA’s top record. Designed to make a championship push this season, the Celtics are currently on the right trajectory with a solid 26-6 standing.
Meanwhile, over in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team that found themselves 34 games below .500 just two seasons ago and is now navigating the final phases of their rebuild, has unexpectedly risen as a contender too.
The upcoming clash on Tuesday between Boston and the hosting Oklahoma City will feature a showdown between these formidable teams, with both entering the game on winning streaks.
The Celtics, currently riding a six-game winning streak, mark their fourth instance of a winning streak lasting five games or more this season. Furthermore, Boston has emerged victorious in 11 of their last 12 matchups.
For the Thunder, there have been no reported injuries, so all players are expected to be available for the game. As for the Celtics, Holiday could be sitting this one out due to an elbow injury.
The contributions of Holiday, maintaining averages of 13.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game, along with Porzingis, who posts averages of 20.0 points and 7.2 rebounds, have significantly boosted Boston. Additionally, the ongoing development of guard Derrick White has been instrumental, as he’s achieving career highs with averages of 17.0 points and 5.3 assists, while shooting an impressive 49.1 percent from the field.
The Celtics are anticipating the return of Holiday, who sat out Sunday’s 134-101 victory against San Antonio due to a right elbow sprain. On the other hand, the Thunder enter Tuesday’s game on a four-game winning streak, securing victories in seven of their last eight matches. With the second-fewest losses in the conference, Oklahoma City boasts a 22-9 record for the season.
Throughout the season, the trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren has consistently performed at a high level for Oklahoma City. In contrast, third-year guard Josh Giddey faced some challenges.
Nevertheless, Giddey has recently shown improvement, delivering two impressive performances in victories against the Denver Nuggets and Brooklyn Nets. During these games, he accumulated a total of 32 points, shooting 14-of-26, in addition to securing 14 rebounds and contributing nine assists.
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