Game Recap: Thunder 119, Celtics 115

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Kane Dane
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The Thunder strung collectively 48 minutes of aggressive basketball within the midst of a back-and-forth, low-scoring contest. Boston refused to go down and not using a combat which arrange an thrilling, clutch recreation that required a full-team effort, clutch free throws and hustle down the stretch.

Throughout the harm and adversity-ridden stretch OKC endured all through the month of April, it by no means wavered in its id. Taking part in as a workforce, taking part in aggressively and competing for 48 minutes are all core tenants for Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault’s squad and coming off of a tricky loss to Philly the night time earlier than, the Thunder had a possibility to place its resiliency and id to the take a look at inside TD Backyard on Tuesday.

“It’s been a tough stretch we’ve misplaced some shut ones we’ve misplaced some blowouts. We’ve had some video games the place issues haven’t damaged our manner and I simply give them a lot credit score for the best way that we bounce again up mud ourselves off maintain collectively.”

The Thunder opened the sport with the identical aggression and willpower to hunt paint touches on every possession that it demonstrated the night time earlier than in opposition to the 76ers. Relatively than rack up factors within the paint, that regular assault to the basket resulted in journeys to the free throw line for the Thunder who benefitted closely from the charity stripe from the very outset going an ideal 8-for-8 within the first body.

Taking part in with out Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum, it was Payton Pritchard and Jaylen Brown who had been accountable for almost all of Boston’s offense all through the sport. As Boston’s shot a lackluster 18 p.c from the 3-point line within the first half, Pritchard and Brown mixed for 35 factors on 12-of-20 capturing to maintain the Celtics afloat. By the top of the night time, Brown led all scorers with 39 factors whereas Pritchard logged 28 of his personal.

Opposite to the Celtics supply of offense, the Thunder obtained contributions from each single participant to the touch the ground. By halftime, all 10 gamers who logged minutes for OKC had scored and it could be this collective effort that will pay dividends down the stretch for OKC as Boston regained a lead within the third quarter.

With the rating tied at 78 going into the ultimate body, the Thunder started a collection of well timed 3-pointers and hustle performs to regain and preserve its lead. Ty Jerome went 2-for-2 from the 3-point line within the closing body on the best way to fifteen factors off the bench, but it surely was the scoring outburst of Darius Bazley that despatched the sport again as much as an 11-point margin halfway by the fourth. Bazley completed the night time with 21 factors, 13 of which got here within the fourth quarter alone together with a pair of back-to-back hustle performs the place the second yr ahead rebounded his personal miss and tipped within the offensive board.

“I assumed he was aggressive all night time and he actually took it to a different degree within the second half, the fourth quarter particularly,” stated Daigneault.”

After a layup from Théo Maledon with a minute and half to play, the Thunder held what gave the impression to be a cushty 10-point lead. Nonetheless, the Celtics microwaved seven fast factors in lower than a minute to place strain on the Thunder’s lead. It began with a 3-pointer from Pritchard, then Evan Fournier sneakily stole the Thunder’s inbounds go and instantly laid the ball in to carry the sport to 5 factors. Within the subsequent possession, Brown snagged a unfastened ball from the Thunder that resulted in free throws for Good. Immediately, the Thunder held only a 3-point lead with 50 seconds left to play.

On the subsequent inbounds, the Thunder seemed to get the ball up the ground rapidly in opposition to Boston’s disruptive full-court press. Dort caught the ball within the backcourt and obtained quick strain from Good.

Dort floated a harmful go throughout the half line to Bazley who elevated, stretched and secured the basketball as Fournier bought out on the go. As he circled, Bazley was met with a transparent lane to the basket. With out hesitation, the 6-foot-9 ahead accelerated and elevated for a right-handed slam to ship it again to a two-possession ball recreation with slightly below 40 seconds remaining.

The Thunder had a window of respiratory room, holding onto a two-possession lead till Brown sank a fading, nook 3-pointer with 5 seconds left within the recreation to chop it to a few factors and despatched Fournier to the free throw line on the subsequent possession after fouling him on the inbounds.

Anticipating that Fournier would make the primary shot and deliberately miss the second in an effort to generate three fast factors, Coach Daigneault put each Tony Bradley and Isaiah Roby into the sport to guard the glass. As predicted, Fourier missed the second shot, however Roby held a sturdy field out and secured the rebound which compelled the Celtics to foul. Roby sank the 2 dagger free throws on the opposite finish to ship the sport to 4 factors with simply 2.6 seconds remaining.

“He received the ball actually quick and put it up actually fast and the teaching employees made us prepared for it and I used to be capable of safe the rebound,” stated Roby. “We should always free throws each day. So, free throws – I like my probabilities.”

“I assumed the aggressive spirit was 48 minutes lengthy. We hung in there. There have been a number of ups and downs within the recreation like there all the time are and the fellows did an awesome job,” stated Daigneault. “I assumed down the stretch and within the situational a part of the sport, they saved making photographs and lengthening the sport, we had a pair performs we will study from however I assumed our guys saved their poise, and extra importantly saved their competitiveness.”

For the second-straight night time, the Thunder utilized the versatile Roby on the 5, this time going up in opposition to the smaller frontline of Boston. Roby utilized his measurement and quickness to his benefit at a time when his workforce wanted it most.

After setting a fake-screen for Jerome out by the half-court line, Roby light from the motion as his man went to double-screen. Huge open, Jerome made the easy go to the second yr ahead who took a single bounce and elevated for a left-handed slam.

36

All through the night time, it was the free throw line that created a gentle stream of offense for the Thunder who held a definitive benefit by all 4 quarters. Decided to the touch the paint on practically each possession, OKC drew appreciable contact and completed the night time with 36 free throw makes an attempt in comparison with Boston’s 25. Dort, who completed with a team-high 24 factors, set a brand new profession excessive with 13 makes an attempt of his personal.

“We wish to make aggressive errors. For younger gamers we don’t wish to be a timid workforce and we’re beginning to reap a few of the advantages of a few of the early investments we made in letting these guys do this,” stated Daigneault. “That’s a steady supply of offense transferring ahead. In the event you’ve received guys that once they get a bonus they’ll create contact and go up and draw fouls and we clearly did job of that tonight.”

Lu Dort

“It was an awesome workforce win. All the fellows contributed; all of them performed a job. We did job simply transferring the ball and taking the proper photographs and on the finish we didn’t hand over and we simply needed to end the sport.”
–Lu Dort

“We simply wish to maintain bettering on a regular basis win or lose, regardless of the rating is. I heard coach say there have been a number of good wins behind the scenes, and we simply wish to maintain including.”


–Ty Jerome

After the fast back-to-back within the northeast, the Thunder return to Oklahoma Metropolis the place they’ll have a break day earlier than returning to motion inside Chesapeake Power Area to face the Pelicans on Thursday. The sport would be the begin of a welcomed, extended four-game homestand for the Thunder who spend six of its final seven video games on the street.

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