Boston is banged up and coming off of one of their biggest home losses of the year, but they've got no choice but to keep trudging along. It doesn't get any easier from here as the C's take on an Oklahoma City team that's won three of its last four games and is angling for playoff position in the Western Conference.
When & Where
Wednesday, March 31, 7:30 p.m. ET (CSNE)
TD Garden, Boston, Mass.
Records
Celtics (47-26, first place in Atlantic Division, third place in Eastern Conference)
Thunder (45-28, third place in Northwest Division, sixth place in Western Conference)
Head to Head
This is the Celtics' second meeting with the Thunder this season. Their first, played on Dec. 4, 2009, at the Ford Center in OKC, was an easy win for the Celtics — their seventh in a season-high 11-game winning streak. The C's beat the Thunder 105-87, despite allowing Kevin Durant to go off for 36 points on 13-of-19 shooting. Boston stifled the supporting cast around him, proving that it takes more than one guy to beat these Celtics.
Skinny
Last year, this ragtag group of youngsters lost 59 games and was the laughingstock of the Northwest Division; now, the Thunder are a playoff team. Durant is one of the best players in the game at age 21, and the supporting cast around him has developed into a well-rounded group that can rebound, defend and hit a big shot every now and then.
Starting Lineups
Celtics
Point guard: Rajon Rondo
Shooting guard: Ray Allen
Small forward: Paul Pierce
Power forward: Kevin Garnett
Center: Kendrick Perkins
Thunder
Point guard: Russell Westbrook
Shooting guard: Thabo Sefolosha
Small forward: Kevin Durant
Power forward: Jeff Green
Center: Nenad Krstic
Stat Sheet
Celtics
The Celtics are 23-13 at home this season, including 7-2 in March.
Boston has been whistled for 1,601 personal fouls, ninth-most in the NBA.
Rajon Rondo has 703 assists this season, a career high. He's just 12 away from tying the Celtics' single-season record set by Bob Cousy in the 1959-60 season.
Paul Pierce shot 10-of-11 from the free-throw line in the Celtics' loss Sunday to the Spurs. He's 85.7 percent from the line this season, a career best.
Kevin Garnett had 10 rebounds against the Spurs. He has hit double figures in three straight games, and five this month.
Ray Allen is shooting 35.8 percent from 3-point range this season. He's a 39.6 percent long-range shooter for his career — this is the worst season he's had since 1998-99, when he was 35.6 percent from long distance.
In nine career games against the Thunder (including contests against the Seattle Supersonics), Kendrick Perkins is averaging 5.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.
Thunder
The Thunder are 21-15 on the road.
They are shooting 80.1 percent from the free-throw line this season. Only the Mavericks (81.4 percent) are better.
Kevin Durant has 29.6 points per game, second in the NBA only to LeBron James' 29.8.
Serge Ibaka leads the Thunder in blocks with 81.
James Harden is 82-of-219 (37.4 percent) from 3-point range.
Russell Westbrook had 14 assists on Tuesday night against Philadelphia. His career high of 15 came on Feb. 26 against Minnesota.
Jeff Green has played five career games against the Celtics, the team that originally drafted him in 2007. He has 9.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game against Boston.
Black and Blue
Celtics
Paul Pierce has suffered two shoulder stingers in the past three days. His return Wednesday night is questionable.
Kendrick Perkins has missed the Celtics' last two games with tendinitis in his left knee. He is likely to return Wednesday.
Thunder
James Harden missed six games earlier this month with a strained right hamstring. He is now back in action.
This Date in Celtics History
In 1985, Celtics backup shooting guard Scott Wedman makes his 11th consecutive 3-point field goal attempt, setting an NBA record. The C's lose the game to the Detroit Pistons 113-105 at the Pontiac Silverdome.
Overheard
"We just got an old-fashioned butt whooping."
–Paul Pierce, after the Celtics' ugly loss to San Antonio at the TD Garden on Sunday night
The Press Box
Celtics
Boston shrugs off a loss to San Antonio.
The Celtics aren't worrying about playoff seedings.
Doc Rivers has to figure out a postseason rotation.
Thunder
The Sixers were no match for Kevin Durant and the Thunder.
The future is now for this team.
Who are the real Thunder?
NBA
Brandon Jennings took Milwaukee to another win.
The Pacers have won eight straight at home.
Things are looking up for the New Jersey Nets.
Outlook
This is a tough matchup for the Celtics, as it pits the aging veterans against the explosive youngsters. Doc Rivers will have trouble finding a guy on his depth chart that can stop Kevin Durant. If Paul Pierce can't do the trick, you can expect Doc to dig deep into his bench for Marquis Daniels or Tony Allen to get the job done. Durant killed the Celtics last time, and the Thunder's supporting cast has only gotten better since then.
