Boston Celtics vs. Oklahoma City Thunder preview, injury report, and info - November 20, 2021
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The Boston Celtics absolutely dominated the Los Angeles Lakers last night, 130-108. LeBron James made his return, but the C’s made sure to spoil it, even without the help of Jaylen Brown and Robert Williams. Now, they face game two of a back-to-back tonight as they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Boston Celtics vs. Oklahoma City Thunder game preview, injury report, and info
How to Watch
Location: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Time: 7:30 p.m. (EST)
Channel(s): NBC Sports Boston, NBA League Pass
Team Breakdowns
Boston’s win over LA was one of their best of the season. It seemed as though everyone was playing well on both ends of the court. The win was spearheaded by superstar Jayson Tatum, though. He ended the night with 37 points, 11 rebounds, and three steals while shooting 13-26 from the field and 4-9 from three-point range. He was on attack mode all night long, finding ways to get to the paint and finishing when he got there. He even managed to earn seven free throws, nailing all of them.
Marcus Smart, Dennis Schroder, and Josh Richardson all deserve a ton of credit as well. Smart had what was arguably his best game of the season. He was scoring well, he was passing well, and he played the same elite defense he has been playing all season. A similar statement can be said for Schroder, who put up 21 points against his former team. Lastly, Richardson carried the load off the bench, pouring in 15 points, including a huge first quarter that helped keep Boston’s head above water.
As for Oklahoma City, they’ve been a lot better than most people expected them to be. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort have played great basketball, and are a dangerous combination in OKC’s backcourt. The Thunder sit at 6-9 on the season, when most expected them to be the worst team in the league by far. Instead, their young core of promising players has been stepping things up, leading the team to big wins all year. That includes going 2-0 against the Lakers so far this season.
Injury Report
Jaylen Brown remains out for tonight’s game, Robert Williams is doubtful, and Dennis Schroder is questionable. Meanwhile, the Thunder have no players listed on their injury report for tonight.
Keys to the Game
Key number one is to not underestimate the opponent. Oklahoma City has been playing good basketball this season on the coattails of some solid defense. If the Celtics go into tonight expecting an easy win, they will be in for a rude awakening. OKC has some seriously talented players, and Boston has to account for them. They have been known to play down to their competition, so they can’t do that tonight.
Secondly, they need to play with the same energy they played with last night. Playing the Thunder doesn’t give the same energy boost as playing LeBron James and the Lakers does, but they have to try to recreate that same feeling. The key to winning consistently is treating every opponent the same. Go out there to beat OKC with just as much energy and intensity as when trying to beat LA.
Finally, let’s hope for another big game from Marcus Smart. He was getting a lot of heat this season because of his big-time extension this summer. Last night, he showed why the Celtics paid him so much money. If he can string together a few great games, maybe Boston’s fanbase will get off his back a bit.
Pregame Show
Make sure to tune in to our live pregame show, “The Banner Town Build Up.” We are live 30 minutes before every Celtics game at @GuyBostonSports on YouTube and Facebook. See you there at 7:00 p.m. (EST) tonight!
