Thunder Surge Past Celtics in MVP-Caliber Performance From Gilgeous-Alexander

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put on a virtuoso performance Tuesday night at Paycom Center, scoring 42 points and dishing 8 assists to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a statement 127-114 victory over the Boston Celtics in what many are calling an early NBA Finals preview.

The fourth-year guard was simply unstoppable, shooting 15-of-22 from the field and 6-of-8 from beyond the arc while adding 7 rebounds in 36 minutes of action. His explosive third quarter, where he scored 18 points on perfect shooting, broke open what had been a tightly contested affair and sent the sellout crowd into a frenzy.

"Shai was in complete control tonight," Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said after the game. "When he gets going like that, with that kind of efficiency and pace, he becomes virtually impossible to contain. The way he controlled the game on both ends was special to watch."

The victory moves Oklahoma City to 43-12 on the season, maintaining their position atop the Western Conference standings while sending a clear message to the defending champion Celtics. Boston, now 40-16, had entered the game riding a seven-game winning streak but found themselves overwhelmed by the Thunder youthful energy and depth.

Gilgeous-Alexander has emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate this season, averaging 31.2 points, 6.8 assists, and 5.4 rebounds while leading the Thunder to their best start in franchise history. His performance against Boston—widely considered the Eastern Conference favorite—only strengthened his case for the league most prestigious individual award.

The Celtics struggled to find consistent offense against Oklahoma City length and athleticism, with Jayson Tatum managing just 19 points on 6-of-17 shooting. Jaylen Brown added 24 points but committed 5 turnovers as the Thunder forced 18 total Boston giveaways, converting them into 28 points.

Oklahoma City will look to build on this momentum when they host the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, while Boston returns home to face the Miami Heat in what promises to be another measuring-stick game in the competitive Eastern Conference race.