Oklahoma City Thunder (52-22) vs. Boston Celtics (58-16)
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Boston Celtics 4/3/24 – In a heavyweight clash atop the NBA standings, the Oklahoma City Thunder travel to face the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Wednesday. This high-stakes matchup pits two of the league’s elite teams against each other, promising an exciting showdown as the playoffs approach. With the Thunder looking to close the gap and the Celtics aiming to cement their status at the top, this game is ripe with Handicapping Insights, as both teams showcase their season’s best in pursuit of victory.
On Tuesday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder reached the 120.5 points scored per game mark with a 49.9 field goal percentage on average. They are really effective from the three-point shot area, with an average of 13,4 3-pointers being made per game at a 39,1% success rate. In terms of defensive play, OKC isn’t very far behind either. They do 8.3 steals and 6.6 blocks per game, which proves the balance they maintain.
In the other coaching, The Boston Celtics averaged 120.9 points per game. Their offensive strategy, clearly, rests upon three-point shooting. This is hinted at in the 16.5 three-point field goals the team averages per game. Similarly, the Celtics control the boards averaging 46.4 rebounds per game which brings them more chances to decide the game’s tempo and missed scoring.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Boston Celtics Game Info
When: | Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at 7:30 PM ET |
Where: | TD Garden |
TV: | ESPN |
Stream: | NBA League Pass |
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (PG) vs. Jayson Tatum (SF)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had an average of 30.4 points per game, 5.6 rebounds, and 6.3 assists this season with Thunder which is superlative at all. By directly influencing the gameplay on both sides of the court, adding 2.1 steals per game in his armory, he is an important figure in their winning team. Nonetheless, his adversity is conjuring a plan of escaping Celtics’ coverage and coming up with new ways to add more than just scoring.
Jayson Tatum has been Boston’s undisputed offensive leader with his averages of 27.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. His dimensionality as both a scorer and a defender has been vital for Boston, and its most invaluable attribute is in the critical points of the match. Tatum’s ability to have both shooting, while on defense is laying groundwork for the match, agains the Thunder’s fast moving team will be the key.
The face-off between Gilgeous-Alexander and Tatum embodies the confrontation of different approaches and strenghs. Gilgeous-Alexander’s penetration and playmaking and Tatum’s shooting and overall game will be crucial in deciding the final result. Through their direct or indirect matchup on the court, the swings of their performances will capture our imagination, with a likely shift in the game’s outcome.
NBA Odds/Point Spread: TBD, Total Odds: TBD
Given the competitiveness of both teams, the betting odds are eagerly anticipated. Bettors will be closely monitoring updates, as the spread and moneyline will provide insights into the expected game flow and outcomes.
Oklahoma City Thunder Betting Trends
The Thunder has played well on road trips as shown by the 19-16 ATS (against the odds) in away games. Throughout this season, they went 3-2 straight up and ATS in the last five games. Thes results demonstrate their consistency. The tendency of the game ending with totals ANSWERING the OVER question says it all, as an offensive-minded team carries on.
Boston Celtics Betting Trends
As such, the Celtics are also very steady with a 19-17 ATS record against the spread in their away games, suggesting how they perform under different circumstances. In the end, 4 of the last 5 games shown were UNDER, which means a trend of high-scoring games is noticed and is the same as the team’s strategy throughout the season.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Boston Celtics 4/3/24 Betting Picks
When it comes to the firepower on the field and the defensive tactics of each squad, the game is likely to go down to the wire. The key element will be the performance of the star players and the ability of every team to perform under pressure. The betting trends imply slightly higher chances of high-scoring games, therefore the OVER is tempting.
Finally, as for the Celtics who enjoy home-court advantage and match the Lakers in team depth and defensive rebounding, Boston is the possible winner. On the other hand, don’t be surprised to see the Thunder in an aggressive stance, ready to exchange blows with the Spurs in what is one of the upcoming season’s most anticipated games.
Expect a competitive game that ultimately leans in favor of the Celtics, making them the better pick for Free NBA picks and parlays.
Free Pick and Prediction: Boston Celtics 115, Oklahoma City Thunder 110.