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Celtics vs Thunder: A real test for OKC
The Oklahoma City Thunder are having a promising season so far, and how good they actually are, we will see when they host the Boston Celtics in Paycom Center on Tuesday.
The Celtics have the best record in the league
The Boston Celtics are on top of the Eastern Conference with a 26-6 record. They have won 9 of the last 10 games and are currently on a six-game winning streak. The Celtics are coming off a 134-101 blowout win over the San Antonio Spurs. The Celtics are the best rebounding team in the league with 47.3 boards per game and are ranked sixth with 120.8 points per game. Jayson Tatum is the leading scorer for the Celtics with 26.9 points per game.
A breakout year for the Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are second in the Western Conference with a 22-9 record. They have won 8 of the last 10 games and are currently on a four-game winning streak. After beating the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets, the Thunder won 124-108 in their last game against the Brooklyn Nets. OKC is fourth in the league, scoring 121.3 points per game, and is ranked seventh in the league with a 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio. Shai-Gilgeous Alexander is having another All-Star season, leading the Thunder with 31.2 points per game, which puts him third in the league.
Betting Trends
Oklahoma City is 7-1 ATS in the last 8 games overall and 8-1 ATS in the last 9 games against teams from the Eastern Conference. The Thunder are 5-0 ATS in their last five games against the Celtics while Boston is 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
Player to watch
Jalen Williams is the second-leading scorer for the Thunder with 18 points per game which is also his average in the last 10 games. Last week he scored his season-high 36 points against the New York Knicks.
Injury Reports
Jrue Holiday is out for the Celtics while the Thunder have their full roster available.
Prediction and Conclusion
The Boston Celtics have the best record in the league and have won the last six games. They are a 2.5-point favorite in this game, and as usual, it is tough to bet against them. Still, the Oklahoma City Thunder are playing excellently this season and have won the last four games. The Celtics starting point guard, Jrue Holiday, is out for this one, so the Celtics will probably move Derrick White to the point guard position, and Peyton Pritchard will get more playing time than usual. Neither of them will be able to slow down Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, who will have a chance to prove his offensive class against one of the best defenses in the league. The Thunder will be competitive in this game and will at least cover the spread and maybe even beat the Celtics.
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