The Streak Ends in Beantown: C’s Cook the Thunder

If you turned off the TV after the first quarter of Wednesday night’s tilt at TD Garden, I assume you’re currently texting your therapist about the demise of the Boston Celtics. Down by 13? Offense looking like it was being run by five guys who had never seen a round object before? It was grim, folks.

But then, the second quarter happened. It turns out the Celtics aren't actually dead; they were just hitting the snooze button. Boston proceeded to outscore the Oklahoma City Thunder 99-78 the rest of the way, handing the reigning champs a 119-109 L and snapping their 12-game winning streak. Somewhere, a Paul Pierce jersey just shed a single, celebratory tear.

The "Dynamic Duo" Doing Dynamic Things

Jaylen Brown decided that starting 0-for-5 was simply a clever ruse to give OKC a false sense of security. He flipped the "on" switch and ended the night with a casual 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists. Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum—who is officially back from a 62-game Achilles-induced sabbatical—reminded everyone why he’s a perennial All-NBA guy.

Tatum stuffed the stat sheet with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists, but the highlight was his first block of the season. He swatted Lu Dort’s layup into the third row with the kind of timing usually reserved for Swiss watchmakers. If that’s what a "recovering" Tatum looks like, the rest of the league might want to start filing for early retirement.

SGA: The Man Who Doesn't Miss (Unless He Does)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to be a glitch in the Matrix. He dropped 33 points and extended his NBA-record streak of 20-point games to 133. At this point, SGA scoring 20 is more certain than taxes or my inability to cook an omelet.

He’s currently chasing the elusive 50-40-90 season, which is essentially the "Secret Menu" of NBA achievements. He’s hovering right on the edge of the club, but Wednesday’s loss proved that even shooting 83% from the floor isn't enough when the rest of your team decides to take a collective nap. Jalen Williams, for instance, finished with 7 points on 2-of-9 shooting—a performance so cold it could have preserved a side of beef.

The Takeaway

The Thunder (57-16) are heading back to OKC for a five-game homestand to lick their wounds and probably watch film of this game in a dark room. The Celtics (48-24), meanwhile, have no time to celebrate. They host the scorching-hot Atlanta Hawks on Friday.

Pro Tip: If the Celtics trail by double digits in the first quarter on Friday, don't panic. They’re probably just bored.