Boston – It was a defending champion. Oklahoma City Thunder visited the Boston Selts coming in the end of the January victory, and in defense of it, Boston had not yet lost the season’s series from any other contender.
Except OKC did this on Wednesday, taking advantage of 8-0 runs in the middle of the fourth quarter to create separation, which was a great game between the two great teams to this point. Thunder won the Prize Fight 118-112, showing a level of maturity which has denied his youth, you need to win the championship.
But Oklahoma City coach Mark Daniett did not want his team to move forward.
“This is a march,” he said, “No June.”
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NBA’s MVP’s favorite Thunder superstar Shai Guljis Alexander, who collected his traditional 34 points, seven Assists and five wibrands, was more pleased to have his entertainment as a statement win.
“Because they have done what we are trying to do, the game against them is always a bit faster and more interesting,” he said. “They have achieved what we are trying to do, and there is no better test in the NBA. We play at the end of June, and they are the team that won, so we have to play against them … against which we need to test ourselves, and I think we have passed the two tests so far.”
Oklahoma City was without his second all -star, Jillon Williams, when he used to nursing a hip stress, but Chat Holmagran, who had been missing for three months of his injury, stepped into this secondary role. In the absence of Boston’s Cristopa Purzings, its 23 points, 15 reabounds and numerous rim protections devastated.
Boston was also without a co -star, Jillon Brown, though he played. Brown scored 10 points on 15 shots and came out in 38 minutes. He refused to blame the correct knee issue, which would cost four games in recent weeks, rather than the support of those who deserve it: the infinite defense of Caswan Walis and OKC.
Brown said, “The tough team set rules.” I didn’t meet their physical level. “
Overall, the celltics did not meet the physical level of the thunder. He did not make 2 -point shot in the first quarter, when 20 of his 22 attempts came from 3. Their 35 first half -effort efforts were a record, and they ended 20 out of 63 (32 %) from the distance. These were the shots they could find. Even if their creators could go around Walis and Lou Dort, Holmigarians and Isaiah Hartinstein were waiting in the middle.
If these two teams meet in June, this is a problem for sales. Many opponents may not claim to be a match -up problem for Boston, but Oklahoma City can do after owning the fourth quarter at both meetings.
Selts won the last season in the championship without a massive porridge, which has lost the last six games of this season of unknown viral infection. Before having the opportunity to meet OKC again, they will need to defend their championship against Cleveland Cavaliers – and Boston knows it.
“When we have everyone, we will feel much better,” said Jason Tatum. “I look forward to keeping my entire team in full force to this end. We will fix some things and get ready for all of them.”
It will be a playoff, when the Selts will remain champion until no one knocks them. They have won it before, so make sure they can do it again. The thunder cannot say the same.
But he said that they all needed everyone on Wednesday. When he was asked what was separated from the pack in the last season, Guljis Alexander was also talking about his team’s mentality in Boston.
“They can’t turn or ring,” he said. “When you play against them, they are confident, and they know what they are trying to do on both ends of the floor, and they do it at a higher level. I think that is why he makes so good. Even if the ball does not shy away from his game.”
In fact, Tatam said the same.
“They play properly,” he said. “They know what they want to do on both ends. It was a high level.”
The only knock against the leading thunder of the Western Conference is the fact that they have not reached the final of the conference as a team. He lost to Dallas Moreks in the second round last season.
“We got better than last year,” Guljis Alexander said, whose Thunder (54-12) won the play-off on Wednesday.
Holmugin added, “I think we got a couple of new boys who made our team much better,” but I also think that whoever returned this summer works with his tail and has returned even better. “
The horrible thinking if only criticisms were left for throwing enthusiasm and maturity only on the thunder, it was as if the Daginolt knows him and we want to know: That night this game showed that his team had both.
“It was a 48 -minute attempt.” “It was a hard game to win [Celtics] Keep coming They shoot the trousers, so they can quickly cut the leads. There were many changes in the lead, and I just thought that our team’s humble and discipline and competition was in the exhibition tonight. “
And if it has come again in June, Brown replied, “We will be ready.”
Tatum added, “We will see when we get there.”
Defending champions have to work. Thunder made it clear.
