Game #8 Preview | Boston Celtics

The Thunder GuysNovember 3, 2017 No Comments

Tip-Off: 8:30 PM CT

Location: Chesapeake Energy Arena (Oklahoma City, OK)

Television: FSOK, ESPN

Radio: WWLS 98.1FM OKC The Sports Animal

Twitter: Follow @TheThunderGuys for live-tweets during the game

Oklahoma City is rolling after winning back-to-back games on the road, but with the Boston Celtics in town, the Thunder are facing their toughest challenge yet. After losing Gordon Hayward in the first game of the NBA season along with their first two games of the season, the Celtics are the league’s hottest team right now as they have won six in a row. Of those wins, four have been by double digits, and Boston boasts the top defensive team in the NBA.

While the Celtics are holding opponents to a league-low 93.8 points per game, the Thunder offense has been rolling lately, averaging 110.8 points over the last five games. On top of that, Oklahoma City has a lockdown defense of its own, holding opponents to 95.6 points per game, which is third in the NBA, while Boston is only averaging 104.2 points on its six-game win streak.

Projected Starters

Thunder

  • PG: Russell Westbrook
  • SG: Andre Roberson
  • SF: Paul George
  • PF: Carmelo Anthony
  • C: Steven Adams

Celtics

  • PG: Kyrie Irving
  • SG: Jaylen Brown
  • SF: Jayson Tatum
  • PF: Al Horford
  • C: Aron Baynes

Injuries

Thunder

  • None

Celtics

  • Marcus Morris (left knee soreness) is out.
  • Gordon Hayward (left ankle fracture) is out.

Head-to-Head

  • In nine seasons in Oklahoma City, the Thunder is 12-6 against the Celtics (5-4 at home, 7-2 away).
  • After losing four of the first give games against the Celtics once arriving in Oklahoma, the Thunder has won 11 of the last 13.
  • Russell Westbrook tied his career-high in free throw attempts (22) against the Celtics at home on March 8, 2015.
  • Celtics guard Marcus Smart made and attempted his career-high in three-point shooting (7-12) against the Thunder on March 8, 2015.
  • Celtics center Aron Baynes played a career-high 34 minutes against the Thunder last season on November 14, 2016. He scored 20 points, his season-high in 2016-17.

Game Notes

  • Oklahoma City is 2-1 at home. Boston is 3-1 on the road.
  • The Thunder is 4-0 against the Eastern Conference.
  • The Celtics are 1-0 against the Western Conference.
  • Celtics guard Marcus Smart played two seasons of college basketball (2012-14) at Oklahoma State.
  • Thunder forward Kyle Singler and Celtics guard Kyrie Irving played college basketball together at Duke University during the 2010-11 season.
  • The Thunder has the league’s seventh-oldest team with an average of 26.9 years.
  • The Celtics have the league’s sixth-youngest team with an average of 24.5 years, which includes seven rookies and four other players who have played no more than three seasons.

Article written by Zack Low. Follow @TheThunderGuys on Twitter and Instagram.

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