OKC Thunder Runs Through Gauntlet in Perfect Homestand

The Thunder went 5-0 against five teams above .500, including three top-three seeds.

Jan 5, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) blocks a shot by Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) during the fourth quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder took down the Boston Celtics 105-92 Sunday afternoon, extending its winning streak to 15 games and its record to 25 games above .500 on the season. Boston scored 27 second-half points on 8-for-40 shooting against Oklahoma City's No. 1 defense.

Erasing a 13-point first-half deficit to win by that exact margin against the defending NBA champions seems like an insurmountable challenge. It would be for most teams, yet this season's Thunder has often made improbable results routine. Oklahoma City matched up with five opponents above .500, including three teams currently within the top three seeds of their conferences, in its most recent homestand — and secured five positive results.

The Thunder also trailed by as many as nine points against the Memphis Grizzlies, 12 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, 16 against the LA Clippers and 14 against the New York Knicks. It scored 302 second-half points while giving up 223 in its last five games, winning the final two quarters by 15.8 points per game.

"We've been getting to a lot of bad starts, but it's a 48-minute game," said Luguentz Dort after beating the Celtics. "Whenever we get back to the locker room at halftime, we regroup and go out there and compete more."

Jaylen Brown reached 21 first-half points on 8-for-12 shooting but went scoreless after halftime with two turnovers. Two days prior, Mikal Bridges racked up 19 points on 14 shots in the first half — and scored five points after the break. Norman Powell, averaging 23.5 points per game on 62.5% true shooting this season, shot 1-for-11 Thursday night and recorded as many turnovers (six) as points. Oklahoma City's perimeter defense has established itself as an intimidating unit over and over again.

Still, the Thunder would not be sitting seven games above the Western Conference's No. 2 seed without constant two-way heroics from its best player. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 34.0 points — shooting 56.5% from the field and 11-for-24 on 3-pointers — 6.0 assists, 5.4 rebounds, 2.2 steals and 1.4 blocks per game with a +79 plus-minus over the homestand. He torched the Grizzlies' interior defense to the tune of 13-for-14 2-point shooting, made another clutch triple against the Timberwolves in a 40-point night, and helped put the Knicks away with a late left-handed scoop layup.

The reigning Western Conference Player of the Month initiated a shockwave-sending sequence in the homestand's final game. Less than a minute after swishing a fourth-quarter step-back three over Jrue Holiday's textbook perimeter defense, Gilgeous-Alexander tracked down Jayson Tatum in transition and blocked his layup attempt. He went down the floor and threw a pinpoint alley-oop to Isaiah Hartenstein, who finished the and-one slam against an airborne Derrick White.

"I like to play against, go against the best and see where I stand, how good I really am. That's all it comes down to," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Like coach (Mark Daigneault) said, (the Celtics) have done things that we've dreamt about doing, and there's no way to get there without playing against teams and competing against teams like that. That's what I wake up for, what I play the game for."

The Thunder takes on the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse this Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 6 p.m. CST. Cleveland has accumulated 10 consecutive victories — with all 10 coming by double digits.

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