Replay game: Thunder 94, Celtics 111

by

The Thunder led through the first three quarters of the game behind the strong defense and presence of Moses Brown’s dominant paint. However, after struggling from the back of the early arc, Boston took his step in the fourth quarter and went on to take the lead.

The Thunder opened the game on a 14-2 run when Boston’s 3-point shot got off to a frigid start making just one of his first 11 attempts. The Thunder Lu Dort guard scored Thunder’s first eight points on the way to a 10-point quarterback to help OKC pick up a lead as high as 12 points. Instead of still relying on the 3-point line, Boston responded with a 12-4 run for itself with points generated mostly from the paint as well as production from his bench that was above his own starting unit. 13 to eight. However, by the end of the first quarter, the Thunder led 25-21.

7-foot-2 midfielder Moses Brown contributed greatly to Thunder’s infamous start. In Thunder’s last game against Memphis on Thursday, Brown recorded the third-fastest double in OKC history. On Saturday, it continued that achievement with the second-fastest double-digit achievement in OKC history. His 17-point, 19-rebound-double in the first two quarters also marked the biggest rebounds in half by any Thunder player in OKC history and mostly by player in any half in the league this season.

“I just wanted to come out and set the tone with my energy and just be active around the basket,” Brown said. “Just know how to get a place and know how to make a box. Just using my height and strength. ”

The Thunder defense kept Boston down to scarce firing numbers in the first two frames. Before half-time, the Celtics made just three of his 20 attempts from depth and fired just 36 percent from the field. Probably the biggest early factor was the Thunder’s defense against the Boston All-Star wingers in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Before halftime, the two came together for just six of 24 from the field and 2-for-11 from the 3-point line.

“We were doing good talking, being there to help when Brown and Tatum were trying to play one-on-one or getting those situations,” Thunder guard Théo Maledon said. “That’s something we did well.”

After the Celtics held on to just 15 percent firing from the back of the 3-point line in the first half, the top slowly lifted off the edge in the fourth quarter. Jaylen Brown scored 13 points in the third frame to keep Boston’s offense alive as rookie point defender Maledon snapped in his own 11 to keep Thunder’s lead going.

Tatum, however, took the reins in the final frame as he turned on a pair of incomparable Thunder turns. Tatum, who finished with 27 points at the top of the game, tied the minute game into the fourth quarter with a layup, but it was Luke Kornet who got the Celtics present to put down a pair of 3-on points. back property. that gave Boston the first lead of the game and he started on the path to a 3-point shot. After shooting 15 percent from depth in the first half, the Celtics fired 50 percent in the second and closed the game on a 29-8 command run as Thunder’s offense slowed significantly in the first half. last frame.

“Our kind of game has been in a good place so far [Kornet] hit those two threes. That kind of opened up the game and they weren’t looking back after that, ”said Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. “But I was thinking defensively, really for about three quarters, we were fine and we did well and even with Kornet, we made the change. [Moses] he did a good job of monitoring it afterwards. ”

Thunder rookie Aleksej Pokuševski recorded his ninth career start on Saturday and finished with six points and five assists. The best he did is in the third quarter. The 7-foot rookie handed over to Maledon and instead separated the defenders who misbehaved on the turn. With a wide open range in front of him, Poku used his long steps to raise without dribble and send home a powerful dunk with one hand.

On the elbow, he could barely contain his own players.

“I was just going to ask for a layup and then I felt good about the dunk,” Pokuševski said. “I went up there and saw comments from the bench and I felt happy. ”

23

Ahead of Saturday’s Thunder matchup, the Thunder announced that 14-year-old veteran Al Horford would not be active for the Thunder for the rest of the season as the team prioritizes the young players’ record. , which is developing. This opened the door for Moses Brown who took full advantage of the opportunity ahead on Saturday.

In his 32 minutes, Brown finished the night with a 21-point, 23-rebound double that connects the most rebounds with any Thunder player in OKC history and that leaves him straight as the sixth Thunder player to record 20-20 doubles. Of the four doubles that Brown has recorded this season, three were achieved in the first half.

“He’s just playing hard,” Daigneault said. “He competes every night and we expect to compete. I thought our boys were competing tonight and I thought he did a good job but in particular he does that every day. ”

“It’s a man that every game plays 100 percent and that pays for it,” Pokuševski said. “He’s a great guy, playing hard, competing, playing with the team. ”

Théo Maledon

“Our communication, and our plan for this game – a big chase and make sure we box out. We were doing very well … sorry we didn’t do it for 48 minutes, but it’s something we have to keep and have for 48 minutes. ”

–Théo Maledon

“A lot of progress, but of course it’s not a 48-minute performance that we have to go to get the game.”


–Coach Daigneault

The Thunder will have a day off on Sunday before returning to action against Dallas on Monday and to end his four-game homestand with a matchup against Toronto on Wednesday.

Source