The game of the week in the NBA is upon us, as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Boston Celtics clash at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN tonight.
While the Thunder will be without their second-best player, forward Jalen Williams, both teams should be otherwise 100 percent tonight. OKC's Alex Caruso and Boston stars Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porzingis are all listed as game-time decisions, but each of them is expected to be in action.
OKC took Game 1 of this two-game regular-season series with a 105-92 win at home on January 5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 33 points helped the Thunder win that one going away after entering the fourth quarter down 80-76.
In fact, Boston scored just 27 second-half points in that game. It's hard to see tonight being another slog for either side, though, as both have been playing well -- including against the league's best -- in recent weeks.
This game gets underway at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT/truTV/Max.
Thunder vs. Celtics Betting Odds
DK FD bet365
OKC spread +2.5 (-108) +2.5 (-106) +2.5 (-110)
BOS spread -2.5 (-112) -2.5 (-114) -2.5 (-110)
OKC ML +114 +124 +115
BOS ML -135 -146 -135
Total 229.5 (o-112; u-108) 229.5 (o-110; u-110) 229.5 (o-110; u-110)
Best Player Prop Bets for Bucks vs. Pacers
Jayson Tatum o26.5 points (-120 at FanDuel) -- 0.75 units
Tatum has missed two of the last four games for Boston, but he was lights-out against both the Sixers on March 6 and the Lakers on March 8. He has a favorable matchup tonight against a Thunder team that is without one of its better wing defenders in Williams (though OKC still has plenty of guys to throw at Tatum, Brown and Co.)
In the previous Boston-OKC matchup, Tatum finished with just 26 points, but his 12 free-throw attempts in that game were encouraging for his chances of a big scoring night tonight. Also, if Tatum could get to 26 points on a night when Boston as a team was held to its lowest point total of the season (92), he should have no problem scoring 27 or more as long as his team gets anywhere near its season average of 116.9 ppg.
Tatum has also been both trigger-happy (51 FGA, 27 3PA) and hot from downtown in last two appearances. He shot over 60 percent from the floor (45.5 percent from 3-point land) vs. Philly last week and made up for a 6-for-12 night on 2-pointers vs L.A. by draining 6-of-16 from outside last Saturday night.
The more I think about it, I'm not only bullish on Tatum to reach his season average of 27 points, but get to at least 30 points, which is available at the tempting price of +152 at FanDuel.
Bonus bet: Jayson Tatum 30+ points (+152 at FD) -- 0.25 units
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander o6.5 assists (-110 at bet365) -- 1 unit
First of all, we're not exactly going out on a limb here.
SGA has been scoring at an absurd clip, as you've probably heard, but he's also reached at least seven assists in four of his last five games (and averaging 6.2 apg on the season).
The biggest reason the Nuggets beat the Thunder on Monday was their outside shooting (they shot an insane 18-for-32 from 3-point land). But Denver also had some success trapping SGA and forcing the rest of the Thunder's rotation to step up.
OKC scored 127 points in that one (again, a lack of offense was not the issue in the 140-127 L), but that was with Lu Dort's 8-of-14 3-point shooting night helping the Thunder shoot 40 percent as a team from downtown. Dort is a capable shooter, but he's made five 3-pointers or more just seven times all season.
SGA was "held" to 25 points on 14 FGA by Denver in that game, just the second time in 14 contests that he attempted less than 15 field-goal attempts. He responded with a solid seven assists, and I expect him to reach -- if not exceed -- that number tonight with Williams out of the lineup, as traps and double-teams should be a staple of the Celtics' approach.
SGA had six dimes in the previous meeting between these two, and that was with Jalen Williams playing 35 minutes, and SGA himself taking 23 shots from the field. With no Williams tonight, more ball-handling by SGA -- especially against Brown and a Celtics team that doesn't hesitate to apply high ball-pressure -- should mean more assists.
Thunder vs. Celtics Prediction, Best Bets
Boston is on an impressive five-game winning streak that includes victories over the Nuggets and the Lakers, and tonight is the final game of the C's current seven-game homestand.
The Celtics have rested Tatum and Brown a few times in the last week, and their complementary players have stepped up huge, as Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser have all scored at least 33 points in a recent contest.
Tonight, I don't see the Thunder getting enough stops on the road to overcome an always-efficient offense that has knocked down 31 three-pointers on 91 attempts over the last 96 minutes of action (Boston was 13-of-38 from 3 vs. L.A. and 18-for-53 vs. Utah).
With the underrated Williams available for OKC, I'd be tempted to take the Thunder. Without him, I like Boston to win, and cover, in a tight, high-scoring contest.
Thunder vs. Celtics Best Bet
Celtics -2.5 (-110 at bet365) -- 1 unit
Over 229.5 (-110 at FD) -- 1 unit
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This story was originally published March 12, 2025 at 4:38 PM.