Rapid Recap is designed for the busiest of Celtics fans. Whether you can’t stay awake to read 10 paragraphs or your hangover is just too much, Rapid Recap tells the timeline of the game in only a minute or two.
The Celtics had lost three of their last four, and the perfect remedy for their funk was a date with the OKC Thunder, who had lost 14 straight. Or so we thought.
Instead, in a season filled with bad losses, the Celtics suffered by far their worst defeat, 119-115. OKC controlled the game until the Celtics found some energy in the third quarter and briefly took a lead. But it was tied going to the fourth quarter, and the Thunder outscored Boston in that period, 41-37.
Behind an 18-6 run, OKC went ahead by 11 with two minutes left, but as we’ve seen all season, a late, desperate rally got the Celtics within 3 points in the final seconds. As we’ve also seen all season, it fell short.
Jaylen Brown (39 points, 13 of 26 shooting, 11 rebounds, 4 steals) and Payton Pritchard (career-high 28 points, 9 of 16 shooting, 4 assists) tried to carry the team, but they couldn’t overcome all the disastrous factors.
- Marcus Smart, 4 of 17 with 1 of 10 from the arc (missed his first 9), technical foul, fouled out.
- Tristan Thompson, 2 points, 4 rebounds, 5 fouls in 18 minutes.
- Evan Fournier, 4 of 14 FGs.
- Celtics, 11 of 49 on threes, while OKC made 13 of 30.
- Cs were outrebounded, 51-39.
OKC was led by Lu Dort, 24 points, and Darius Bazley, 21 and 10 rebounds. As Mike Gorman said about the Thunder near the end, “They just wanted it more.”
#NEBHInjuryReport update vs Oklahoma City:
Injury Report Update vs. Oklahoma City (4/27):
Jayson Tatum (left ankle impingement) – OUT
Kemba Walker (left oblique strain) – OUT
Robert Williams (left knee soreness) – OUT— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 27, 2021
With Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker out, Evan Fournier and Semi Ojeleye join Smart, Brown and Thompson in the Celtics starting lineup tonight.
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) April 27, 2021
It was a slow start.
A 15-8 deficit vs a 20-41 OKC team on the Thunder's 2nd night of a road back-to-back. 🙄
Insert fork, cease cooking.#BleedGreen #Celtics
— Polar Ginger (@PolarGinger) April 27, 2021
Another buzzer beater three to end a quarter you have got to be kidding me
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) April 27, 2021
Thunder lead 29-24 after one
Brown – 11 points
Pritchard – 9 points
Celtics – 9-24 shooting
Celtics – 3-12 three-pointersDort – 7 points
Brown – 6 points
Pokusevski – 5 points
Thunder – 9-20 shooting
Thunder – 7 turnovers— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) April 27, 2021
Second quarter.
Smart walking into a bricked 3 with 22 seconds on the clock isn't ideal
— Mr Positive (@CfbhoopsA) April 27, 2021
JB with the two-handed jam pic.twitter.com/FsD2JcRSL7
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 28, 2021
Jaylen Brown (18 points) and Payton Pritchard (17) have combined to shoot 12-for-20 overall, 4-for-8 from 3 and 7-for-8 from the foul line. The rest of the team has 14 points, is shooting a combined 7-for-29 from the field & 0-for-14 from 3-point range, and hasn't shot one FT. https://t.co/56uWlEp5F2
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) April 28, 2021
Third quarter.
It appears I’m lucky to have missed most of the first half. https://t.co/3xnt2sxzuI
— Chuck M. (@McK_Chuck) April 28, 2021
“Bad” did not just describe the players.
https://twitter.com/MsSamanthaMay/status/1387201487756046344?s=20
https://twitter.com/McDTwin1/status/1387205031137579010?s=20
Jaylen Brown has 27 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals on 10-of-20 FG with 2:52 left in the third.
Celtics on a 20-6 run and now lead by three.
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) April 28, 2021
Nicely done ☘️ pic.twitter.com/MmoiH8i4gt
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 28, 2021
End of 3Q:
Celtics: 78
Thunder: 78What a turnaround by the Celtics, they were able to rally to get back into this contest.
JB is at a game-high 29 points.
— Amanda_Pflugrad (@Amanda_Pflugrad) April 28, 2021
Fourth quarter.
Ty Jerome just stared down Marcus Smart and drilled a 35-foot three in Smart's face.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) April 28, 2021
Former New Balance intern Darius Bazley with back-to-back buckets for OKC, putting the Thunder up 97-91 with 6:16 remaining and forcing Brad Stevens to call a timeout. Thunder have a chance to end their 14-game losing streak.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) April 28, 2021
The Thunder have 24 turnovers with 5:36 left and are beating the Celtics by four.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) April 28, 2021
Pritchard ⬆️ Kornet ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/jAl2ek4zoT
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 28, 2021
Luke Kornet is giving the Celtics some really solid minutes here.
He has 10 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks on 5-of-7 FG in 18 minutes.
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) April 28, 2021
The Celtics are now 8-for-43 from 3-point range, and are down 11 to the Thunder with 2:30 to go. OKC's 14-game losing streak is about to end.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) April 28, 2021
#Celtics on a 9-2 run as they trail the #Thunder 112-109 with 30.8 seconds left to play
— CausewayStreet (@CausewayStreet) April 28, 2021
Thunder win 119-115
Brown – 39 points
Pritchard – 28 points
Smart – 14 points
Celtics – 11-49 three-pointers
Celtics – 16 stealsDort – 24 points
Bazley – 21 points
Jerome/Roby – 15 points each
Thunder – 13-30 three-pointers
Thunder – 27 turnovers— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) April 28, 2021
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