The Celtics' Jaylen Brown scored 31 points while the Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 33 points in a clash of MVP candidates Wednesday night at TD Garden, where the Celtics emerged with a 119-109 victory.
The Celtics' Jaylen Brown scored 31 points while the Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 33 points in a clash of MVP candidates Wednesday night at TD Garden, where the Celtics emerged with a 119-109 victory.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
Although the Celtics have roared toward the top of the Eastern Conference this season, questions about their status as a true title contender have persisted because of their struggles against the NBA’s elite.
On Wednesday night, though, the Celtics made progress in that area by crafting their biggest win of this season against the NBA’s best. In a potential NBA Finals preview, the Celtics flicked away an early 13-point deficit and raced to a 119-109 victory at TD Garden that snapped the Thunder’s 12-game winning streak.
Jaylen Brown had 31 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists to lead Boston, and Jayson Tatum added 19 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists. The Celtics connected on 18 of 41 3-pointers, made 25 of 29 free throws, and held a 19-2 edge in second-chance points.
Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 33 points on 10 of 12 shooting to lead the Thunder, but he did not receive enough help.
The Celtics led, 88-83, to start the fourth. They capitalized when Gilgeous-Alexander sat to start the second quarter, and did the same in this instance, opening a 100-92 lead on a Baylor Scheierman follow slam with 7:57 left.
GO GET IT 💪 pic.twitter.com/rMSJGtIt2I
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 26, 2026
Scheierman (11 points), who provided a substantial lift at both ends off the bench, added a 3-pointer that stretched the lead to 106-94, the Celtics’ largest to that point.
The Thunder did not respond with a signature run, but they did not wilt, either. Instead, they gradually chipped away and pulled within 115-109 on a Gilgeous-Alexander free throw with 1:30 left.
But an Alex Caruso 3-pointer from the corner that would have made it a one-possession game was off, and Brown put the final touches on the win with a layup.
The Thunder started the game by hitting three consecutive 3-pointers, with Lu Dort connecting on the first two. But the rest of the half was a challenge from beyond the arc for the Thunder, which hit just 3 of its next 16.
The Celtics were looking for a long-range lift from Sam Hauser, perhaps their best pure shooter. He hit his first shot but generated no momentum from that, missing four consecutive 3s, three of which were wide open.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla adjusted his substitution patterns slightly, with Tatum checking out midway through the opening quarter before returning minutes later, with Brown and White on the bench.
Tatum’s initial stint as the primary creator was shaky. He committed turnovers on the Celtics’ first two possessions after checking back in. The second led to an Ajay Mitchell layup that gave the Thunder their largest lead of the half, 29-16.
Tatum settled in when he returned to start the second quarter, however, and the Celtics cut into the deficit.
Tatum hit a pair of 3-pointers and streaked past Chet Holmgren for a layup before finding Brown for a 3-pointer that pulled Boston within 41-38.
For the Celtics, it probably helped that Gilgeous-Alexander, the MVP frontrunner, was on the bench. He returned at the 5:28 mark and instantly converted a layup and a 3-pointer.
But White responded with back-to-back 3-pointers, and with 3:38 left, Dort drove along the right baseline and had his attempt swatted away by Tatum. It was the first blocked shot of the season for the Celtics star, who is still gaining confidence as he tests his surgically repaired Achilles tendon.
The Celtics took their first lead, 49-46, when Brown tipped an offensive rebound out to Payton Pritchard (14 points) for a 3-pointer. But the Thunder closed the quarter with a 7-0 run.
The Thunder pushed their lead back to 64-56 early in the third, but the Celtics answered by raising their level of physicality.
Neemias Queta soared in for an emphatic dunk over Holmgren. Scheierman, who hit two 3-pointers after checking in, forced a turnover by pestering Gilgeous-Alexander as he dribbled in the backcourt. Then Brown had the loudest play of all with a vicious one-handed slam over Jaylin Williams to give the Celtics a 77-75 lead.
DON'T JUMP WITH JB 🫣 pic.twitter.com/YuKWdusIq9
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 26, 2026
The Celtics’ bruising approach also pushed them into the free-throw penalty early in the quarter. These plays will not end up on highlight reels but were equally effective. After taking five free throws in the first half, the Celtics attempted 13 in the third quarter and held an 88-83 lead to start the fourth.
Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him @adamhimmelsbach.