How OKC Thunder rode elite defense to top defending-champion Boston Celtics

How OKC Thunder rode elite defense to top defending-champion Boston Celtics | Mussatto

Posted by author January 6, 2025 NBA

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Kenrich Williams stripped Jaylen Brown. Lu Dort pickpocketed Derrick White. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander swatted Jayson Tatum.

The Thunder flexed its league-best defense to beat the defending champion Celtics 105-92 on Sunday afternoon in Oklahoma City.

The Thunder held the Celtics to 27 second-half points.

Twenty. Seven.

“I thought our physicality in the second half was completely different,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.

Imagine if the Thunder had, you know, its best defensive player in Chet Holmgren. Or a two-time All-Defensive guard in Alex Caruso. What then? Does OKC limit Boston to three touchdowns instead of four? Yeah, yeah, of course the game doesn’t work that way, but it’s still crazy to think about.

The Celtics were the enforcers in the first half — overwhelming the Thunder with an unfair combination of size and skill. Tatum lowered his shoulder and rammed through Gilgeous-Alexander. Brown drained a fadeaway 3-pointer despite being draped by Cason Wallace. Kristaps Porzingis ruled the rim on both ends of the floor.

But things flipped in the second half.

The Thunder, despite its size disadvantage, bullied the bully.

What clicked defensively for OKC over the final 24 minutes?

“It was everything,” Daigneault said.

Point-of-attack defense. Seamless switching. Relentless pressure.

Dort spearheaded the shutdown. After stymying Tatum in the first half, Dort switched assignments to Brown in the second half. Brown had 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting in the first half. In the second half? Zero points on 0-of-7 shooting.

In addition to his defense, Dort, who missed his first eight shots, drilled a trio of dagger 3-pointers to sink the Celtics. The Celtics, meanwhile, had their worst 3-point shooting game of the season.

The Celtics make (18) and attempt (50) the most 3-pointers in the NBA per game.

Boston attempted 46 3s Sunday, making only nine — a 19.6% clip.

“It’s tricky,” Daigneault said, “because there’s a lot of variance in basketball.”

A lot of luck with 3-point shooting. Daigneault was rightfully cautious to take credit for the barrage of Celtics clanks, but the Thunder has earned the benefit of the doubt. Little from Sunday felt flukey.

Gilgeous-Alexander was his brilliant self. Thirty-three points, 11 rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks. And only two turnovers.

Not that SGA needed an early MVP moment, but he sure had one (two, really) in the fourth quarter Sunday.

Gilgeous-Alexander had a chase-down block of Tatum on one end, leading to an SGA to Isaiah Hartenstein lob on the other end.

“Having your best player bringing it on both ends is crazy,” Dort said.

The Thunder is now 30-5. Its winning streak is up to 15 games.

“It’s cool,” SGA said of his team’s record. “I try not to think about where we were and where we’re going.”

With this defense, the Thunder is going far.

Maybe NBA Finals-far, where the Celtics may be waiting again.

Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.