In what could be a preview of the 2026 NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder host the Boston Celtics on Thursday night at the Paycom Center.
This marks the first meeting between the two teams this season, and there is also a chance for history to be made. If Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 20 or more points, he will break Wilt Chamberlain's NBA record for the most consecutive games with at least 20 points.
Can SGA accomplish the feat while leading the Thunder past Jayson Tatum and company? We'll break all of that down below with our Boston Celtics vs Oklahoma City Thunder odds, preview and predictions.
For additional information on picks, props, moneylines, and more on today's slate, take a look at our NBA Picks Page or our NBA Odds Page.
Matchup Information
Location: Paycom Center
Date: Thursday, March 12, 2026
Tipoff: 9:30 PM ET
Injury News and Notes
Derrick White – Questionable
Payton Pritchard – Probable
Jayson Tatum – Questionable
Nikola Vučević – Out
Branden Carlson – Out
Jalen Williams – Out
Isaiah Hartenstein – Out
Thomas Sorber – Out
Thunder vs Celtics Odds
Courtesy of Lucky Rebel
| Team |
Spread |
Moneyline |
Total |
| Boston Celtics |
+6.5 (-109) |
+205 |
Over 217.0 (-110) |
| Oklahoma City Thunder |
-6.5 (-111) |
-260 |
Under 217.0 (-110) |
Thunder vs Celtics Preview
OKC opened as 5.5-point favorites, with the total around 217. The market consensus now lists the Thunder as 6.5-point favorites, while the total ranges between 216.5 and 217.
Not only did SGA tie Chamberlain's record in the last game, but he also extended Oklahoma City's winning streak to six by hitting a game-winning three-pointer against the Nuggets.
The Thunder won that contest 129-126, and SGA also recorded a career-high 15 assists, further strengthening his case to repeat as the league's MVP.
This current six-game win streak is Oklahoma City's longest since starting the season 24-1. Evidently, there has been no such thing as a "championship hangover" for the Thunder.
Their adversary also has some positivity around their organization, as star forward Jayson Tatum returned a few games ago. The Celtics are 2-1 since his return, and Tatum has averaged 19.7 points while shooting 39.3% from the field. He has yet to log more than 27.5 minutes in any of those games.
One of Boston's big men, Nikola Vucevic, will remain sidelined. The Celtics certainly missed his presence in their 125-116 loss at San Antonio. While Vucevic isn't known as a premier defender, perhaps he could have aided ever so slightly in defending Victor Wembanyama, who dropped 39 points while shooting 8-of-15 from beyond the arc and 11-of-20 from the field overall.
Oklahoma City's offense has been one of the most efficient units in the league, ranking fifth in points per possession and effective field-goal percentage while sitting ninth in free-throw rate. Boston's defense will provide a stiff test, though, as the Celtics rank sixth in Pts/Poss allowed, third in opponent eFG% and seventh in opponent free-throw rate.
On the other side, Boston's offense has been elite as well, ranking second in Pts/Poss and 12th in eFG%. However, one of their issues is the lack of trips they take to the charity stripe, as they rank dead last in free-throw rate. That's a notable benefit to this OKC defense that's first in Pts/Poss allowed, while also ranking second in opponent eFG% and fifth in opponent free-throw rate.
Both of these teams are bottom-half in terms of pace of place, with Boston ranking dead last and Oklahoma City sitting 17th.
Although it's just a three-game sample size, what's worth noting is that since Tatum's return, the Celtics have dropped to 15th in offensive points per possession and 14th in effective field-goal percentage. However, he has provided a boost defensively, posting a defensive efficiency differential of minus-7 points allowed per 100 possessions when on the floor.
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Thunder vs Celtics Predictions
On the surface, this seems like a lot of points to be giving Boston. However, when factoring in Tatum's limited workload and Vucevic's absence in a tough road environment against the league's best team, it starts to make a bit more sense.
Does that mean I'm willing to lay 6.5 points pre-flop? No. What I will be looking to do instead is grab a better in-game number on the Thunder. The Celtics are still one of the better teams in the NBA and should be able to keep things close, if not grab a lead at some point tonight. That could create a more appetizing number on Oklahoma City during the game.
There's no need to force a bet on a high spread right now. Let's wait, see how the game flow develops and realistically find a better number in a matchup that should feature plenty of runs.
Outside of that, I did make a wager on a player prop in this game: Chet Holmgren Over 10.5 Rebounds + Assists (-105).
On the season, Holmgren is averaging nine rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, but since the All-Star break he has increased those numbers to 11.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
This game should have a playoff-like atmosphere, where heightened defensive intensity leads to more contested shots and, in turn, additional rebounding opportunities for Holmgren.
Boston's formidable interior defense could also force him to move the ball more frequently, giving him a solid chance to chip in a couple of assists as well.
Given his recent production, this line feels too low and is worth taking advantage of.
For more players props throughout tonight's NBA slate, be sure to check out my NBA Player Prop Bets for March 12.
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