On Wednesday night, the Boston Celtics fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-112. With the win, the Thunder completed a two-game season sweep, sending a strong message that they are to be taken very seriously in a possible Finals matchup.
Since Joe Mazzulla took over as head coach, the Celtics have embraced an aggressive, predatory offensive style. Last season, Mazzulla compared his team’s approach to a pack of killer whales hunting for seals — relentlessly attacking the weakest defender on opposing teams. In other words, the offense relies on finding mismatches. This strategy has been the foundation of Boston’s dominance, allowing the Celtics to consistently expose some of the league’s best teams.
But against the Thunder, there was no weak link to attack. OKC possesses a historically deep and disciplined defense, making them tailor-made to neutralize Boston’s relentless offensive pressure. Boasting the NBA’s second-best defensive rating, the Thunder don’t rely on a single anchor; instead, they defend by committee.
On the perimeter, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort set the tone on Wednesday, dictating the flow of Boston’s offense with their physicality and instincts. They hounded the Celtics’ primary ball handlers — Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum — forcing them into poor decisions, rushed passes, and many possessions that stalled along the three-point arc. Aside from some tipped balls, broken schemes, and transition plays, the Thunder rarely allowed anything easy. Even looking at Tatum’s 33 points, a considerable number of his shots were contested fadeaways along the baseline.
Looking deeper at other Celtics’ shot attempts, the Thunder’s elite perimeter defense becomes even more apparent. Of Derrick White’s shot attempts, only two of his fourteen attempts were inside the three-point line. Payton Pritchard took just one shot that wasn’t a three-point attempt. Horford was in the same boat, with only two of his attempts coming in the paint.
Even when the Celtics found a way inside, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein proved to be an impenetrable last line of defense. Time and time again, the Celtics were funneled into low-percentage shots or forced into last-second kick-outs to the perimeter. The impact of OKC’s defensive presence was proven halfway through the fourth quarter: Jrue Holiday was right under the basket for any easy layup but hesitated upon seeing Holmgren far in his periphery. Instead of attempting the layup, he kicked the ball out to the perimeter, settling for a lower percentage shot in a crucial moment.
Boston’s struggles didn’t end with OKC’s starters. When the Thunder went to their bench, their defensive scheme never wavered. Isaiah Joe and Kenrich Williams provided valuable minutes, ensuring that the defense never skipped a beat. OKC’s defense is not tied to individual stoppers but rather a collective commitment and approach that makes life difficult for any team, even one as talented as the Celtics.
To beat the Thunder, the Celtics can’t just rely on their usual hunting tactics. The Thunder aren’t a scattered group of prey like most teams; they’re a tightly bonded unit that moves in unison. Instead of waiting for a weak link to appear, the Celtics will have to create one. Whether it’s faster ball movement, sharper off-ball actions, Boston must find a way to make OKC their prey.
Against the Thunder, it’s hunt or be hunted.
