Reeling Celtics visit OKC
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Oklahoma City Thunder shoot for a fourth straight win this evening when they welcome the Boston Celtics to Chesapeake Energy Arena.
After combining for 91 points on Sunday, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook totaled 62 together on Monday as Oklahoma City held off the New Orleans Hornets to earn their 10th straight home victory with a 101-93 decision.
Durant and Westbrook netted 31 points apiece to lead the Thunder, who recorded 10 straight wins at home for the first time since a 12-game win streak from February 22-April 2, 1998, when the team was known as the Seattle SuperSonics.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I thought we came out with great energy," Thunder head coach Scott Brooks said. "It was such an emotional game [on Sunday], and our guys came out and responded well."
The Thunder, who will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday in their final game before the All-Star break, are 13-1 in their building this season.
Oklahoma's terrific home play will be put to the test tonight against the Celtics, who have won all three games at Chesapeake Energy Arena since the Thunder relocated from Seattle. In all Boston has won four straight and six of nine on the road in this series.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Celtics, though, enter tonight's tilt riding a four-game losing streak after dropping an 89-73 decision to the Dallas Mavericks on Monday.
Paul Pierce led Boston with 20 points, while Ray Allen contributed in 15 in defeat. Avery Bradley added 12 points in place of Rajon Rondo, who was suspended two games by the NBA "for throwing a ball at an official and striking him in the chest" during Sunday's setback against the Pistons.
Boston was also without Kevin Garnett due to personal reasons. To make matters worse, the Celtics were also without Brandon Bass (knee) and lost starters Jermaine O'Neal (sprained left wrist) and Chris Wilcox (right adductor strain) in the third quarter.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"They were two men down without Rondo and K.G., so a different ball club," Terry said. "They tried to junk up the game and I thought we did an excellent job of being patient and getting what we wanted on the offensive end."
Rondo will finish serving his suspension tonight, while the statuses of Garnett, Bass, O'Neal and Wilcox are up in the air.