OKC Thunder vs Celtics, everything you need to know

The trade deadline produced 17 deals with 23 participating teams and 46 players changing teams. While expectations were the OKC Thunder would be active with Sam Presti shopping vets the Thunder GM settled on moving George Hill.

Presti got out ahead of most teams by trading Hamidou Diallo to Detroit and Trevor Ariza to Miami. With these deals, Presti’s current draft pick count is 17 first and 17 second over the next seven seasons.

A team offering a great example of growing through the draft is in town tonight — the Boston Celtics. The Beantown crew expected to be among the top Eastern clubs with three Eastern Conference Finals appearances in the last four years. Unfortunately, it’s been an uneven year for the Celtics who’ve struggled particularly on the defensive end of the floor.

OKC Thunder versus Boston Celtics – everything you need to know

In recent years this matchup has provided some exciting nailbiting finishes. Both teams have exciting young rising stars but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won’t be playing in this match or for the foreseeable future.

With that, here’s what you need to know…

Game specifics:

Records:

• Thunder: 19-25
• Celtics 22-23

The Venue: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Tipoff:  9:00 PM ET  | 8:00 PM CT

TV: Fox Sports  Oklahoma | NBA League Pass

Radio: WWLS 98.1 FM OKC

Odds:

Injuries:

With the trade deadline past, games have occurred with new players already making their debuts. As for the two new Thunder players — Tony Bradley and Austin Rivers are listed as not with the team on the NBA injury report.

More from Thunderous Intentions

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• 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
• Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
• Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder

Thunder:

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is out for an undetermined period nursing plantar fasciitis.
• Darius Bazley will miss his ninth game with a shoulder contusion.
• Josh Hall remains out with left knee soreness.

Celtics:

• Romeo Langford is out following health and safety protocols.
• Semi Ojeleye is nursing a sore side that kept him out of Friday’s match and possibly Saturday.
• Tristan Thompson is out following health and safety protocols.

History:

The clubs have played each other 137 times in the regular season over the franchise’s history. The Celtics hold the advantage in those matches winning 74 times versus 63 for the OKC Thunder.

This match is the first time the teams will play this season with a second match set for Tuesday, April 27th in Boston.

Last season, the squads played twice, each winning one of the contests.

Enjoy the game and check back tomorrow for insights from the game.