Boston Celtics vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Preview, Picks, & Best Bets (3/12/26)
The Boston Celtics (43-22) travel to face the Oklahoma City Thunder (51-15) at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Amazon Prime. Jalen Williams, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Nikola Vučević will all miss the contest, while Jayson Tatum and Derrick White are questionable to play.
Keep reading for Celtics vs. Thunder best bets, and click any odds below to place a bet. For more sportsbook promos, we highly recommend checking out the best sports betting sites. Also check out our daily NBA betting trends for data, odds and insights!
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Celtics vs. Thunder Odds
Celtics vs. Thunder Best Bets & Picks
The best bet in this matchup is taking the over on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s assists.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 7.5 Assists (+120 FanDuel)
Boston’s defense allows the second-fewest isolation field goal attempts per game according to NBA.com and also defends pick-and-rolls at a high level. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a historically great scorer who should get his numbers, but it’s a tough matchup.
However, the Celtics surrender the third-highest rate (33.1%) of catch-and-shoot triples across the association. They are vulnerable to drive-and-kick guards, which bodes well for Gilgeous-Alexander. Look for the reigning league MVP to take what Boston’s defense gives him and continue his recent stretch of stellar playmaking.
Celtics vs. Thunder Preview & Breakdown
Boston’s preseason win total was set at 41.5 wins because of Jayson Tatum’s torn Achilles and the departures of Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet during the offseason. But nobody told the Celtics that this season was supposed to be a gap year. They have already logged 43 wins and currently occupy the two seed behind the Detroit Pistons.
Tatum made his season debut on March 6 against the Mavericks, and he has averaged 19.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game on 39/29/85 shooting splits since returning. The efficiency numbers are obviously rough, but he will shake off the rust eventually. Whether Boston can make the NBA Finals hinges on Tatum playing like his old self or close to it.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma City is coming off a statement win against Denver. The reigning champs won by three points despite only having one active center during the game. Jaylin Williams and Ajay Mitchell both played phenomenal basketball, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander grabbed headlines. He joined LeBron James as the only players in NBA history to record at least 35 points and 15 assists in a single game without committing a turnover.
Gilgeous-Alexander remains the clear favorite to win MVP according to betting odds, but Jaylen Brown is a potential candidate should Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokić fail to reach 65 games played. It’s vital for his chances that Brown demolishes the Thunder’s defense.
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