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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during the game against the Indiana Pacers on December 26, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. A.J. Mast, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP/File

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 26: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during the game against the Indiana Pacers on December 26, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE   A.J. Mast/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP (Photo by A.J. Mast / NBAE / Getty Images / Getty Images via AFP)

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Oklahoma City Thunder v Indiana Pacers

Agence France-Presse

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1741842896415AFP__20241227__2190871292__v1__Preview__OklahomaCityThunderVIndianaPacers.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during the game against the Indiana Pacers on December 26, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. A.J. Mast, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP/File"/>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks on during the game against the Indiana Pacers on December 26, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. A.J. Mast, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP/File</div>LOS ANGELES -- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder punched their ticket to the playoffs with an impressive 118-112 victory over the reigning champion Boston Celtics in a potential NBA Finals sneak preview on Wednesday.Gilgeous-Alexander enhanced his credentials as favorite for the Most Valuable Player award with a superb performance to silence Boston&#x27;s TD Garden home crowd in an absorbing duel settled by a burst of fourth-quarter Thunder scoring.The Canadian point guard shot 11-of-20 from the field to finish with five rebounds, seven assists and 34 points, including 10-of-11 from the free throw line.The win lifted Western Conference leaders Oklahoma City to 54-12 and guaranteed their place in next month&#x27;s playoffs.Wednesday&#x27;s win over a vastly more experienced Boston lineup marked another mature display from a Thunder side that is the youngest in the league.Oklahoma City effectively sealed victory late in the fourth, pulling away to open up a double-digit lead with just under two minutes remaining after Cason Wallace nailed a superb 24-foot three-pointer followed by a driving reverse layup.Gilgeous-Alexander said the Thunder&#x27;s defensive solidity amid a barrage of 63 attempted threes from Boston had provided the foundation for the win.&quot;We were able to get stops, and that&#x27;s been the trend for us recently,&quot; he told ESPN.&quot;When you&#x27;re coming down the stretch against a good basketball team with good players, you&#x27;ve got to find a way, and we did so tonight and gave ourselves a chance.&quot;While Gilgeous-Alexander grabbed the scoring headlines, the towering Chet Holmgren caught the eye with a double-double of 23 points with 15 rebounds.&quot;We all know the player Chet Holmgren is,&quot; Gilgeous-Alexander said of his 22-year-old teammate. &quot;He&#x27;s a stud, and he&#x27;s going to be a stud for a very long time. He&#x27;ll continue to grow and continue to be special.&quot;<div>- Balanced offense -</div><div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D7xDZKsC4ao?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></div>Oklahoma City&#x27;s balanced offense meanwhile suggests that they are well-equipped to make a deep run in the postseason as they pursue the franchise&#x27;s first NBA title since 1979, when the club was the Seattle SuperSonics.Despite missing Jaylin Williams from the lineup, the Thunder finished with seven players in double figures.Boston&#x27;s scoring was led by Jayson Tatum with 33 points, while Derrick White had 22.Jaylen Brown though had an off-night, shooting 5-of-15 from the field before fouling out in the fourth quarter with 3min 36 remaining.Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said his team had failed to deal with Oklahoma City&#x27;s physicality.&quot;There were a lot of moments where we matched that and there were a few where we didn&#x27;t, and I think stuff like that&#x27;s the difference in the game,&quot; he said.In other games on Wednesday, the Phoenix Suns&#x27; slipped further away from play-in contention after losing 111-104 to the Houston Rockets. The Suns are 11th in the West on 30-36 with the Dallas Mavericks 10th on 33-34. The Mavericks lost 126-116 in San Antonio.The Memphis Grizzlies improved to 42-24 and are third in the West after downing the hapless Utah Jazz (15-51) 122-115.In Denver, Nikola Jokic finished with 34 points but could not prevent the Nuggets crashing to a 115-95 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who romped to a wire-to-wire victory on the back of 29 points from Anthony Edwards and 25 points from Julius Randle.<div>© Agence France-Presse</div>

NBA: Shai scores 34 as Thunder down Celtics, seal playoff berth

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NBA: Shai scores 34 as Thunder down Celtics, seal playoff berth

Agence France-Presse

Published March 13, 2025 01:15 PM PHT

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Updated March 13, 2025 02:09 PM PHT

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