NBA roundup: Gilgeous-Alexander stars as Thunder roll past Celtics

The highly anticipated match between two of the league's top teams lived up to its expectations as the young lineup of Oklahoma City went head-to-head with the Celtics, who currently hold the top spot in the NBA's Eastern Conference.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had an impressive performance, scoring points from 14-of-22 shooting. The talented point guard also contributed eight rebounds and six assists. It was a collective effort from the Thunder, with five players finishing in double figures at Oklahoma City's Paycom Center.

Josh Giddey, representing Australia, added 23 points to the scoreboard, while Jalen Williams scored 16 and Chet Holmgren contributed 14 points. Isaiah Joe also made a valuable contribution off the bench with 10 points. This victory extended the Thunder's winning streak to five games.

Gilgeous-Alexander acknowledged the Celtics' success, stating, "Those guys have been to multiple conference finals, won plenty of basketball games, and they have the best record in the league." He emphasized the team's awareness that they needed to play a complete game to defeat the Celtics, regardless of the lead.

Although Boston led 61-58 at halftime, the game took a decisive turn in favor of Oklahoma City during the third quarter. They outscored the Celtics 40-25, with Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge with 16 points.

Oklahoma City seemed to be on their way to a comfortable victory, establishing an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter. However, the Celtics displayed resilience and managed to narrow the gap to just two points, setting up an intense finish.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Giddey showed composure in the crucial moments, making clutch free throws in the final seconds to secure the win for Oklahoma City.

Mark Daigneault, the Thunder coach, expressed his satisfaction with the victory, acknowledging that his team had been somewhat "sloppy" towards the end of the fourth quarter, allowing Boston to make a comeback. Despite this, Daigneault appreciated his team's resilience, recognizing the talent of the opposing team.

He further commented on the game, stating that both ends of the court saw some sloppiness as they attempted to close out the game. However, they managed to make crucial plays and execute with composure when it mattered.

The leading scorers for Boston were Kristaps Porzingis with 34 points and Jayson Tatum with an impressive performance of 30 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists.

As for the standings, Boston remains at the top of the Eastern Conference with a record of 26-7. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder are now just one game behind the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves, improving to a record of 23-9.

In other games on Tuesday, Joel Embiid made a successful return after a four-game absence and achieved a triple-double, contributing to Philadelphia's 110-97 victory over the Chicago Bulls as they continue to pursue Boston at the top of the East.

The New Orleans Pelicans dominated the Brooklyn Nets with a commanding 112-85 victory, maintaining their lead throughout the entire game and securing their third consecutive win.