Thunder Finishes Strong, Takes Down Boston

Originally Published: Mar 31, 2010 7:59 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

BOSTON – After both teams went back and forth all night, Jeff Green came up with three clutch plays in the waning minutes to help the Oklahoma City Thunder take down the Boston Celtics 109-104 Wednesday.

With the Thunder (46-28) leading by one with less than two minutes remaining, Green hit a 3-pointer to make it a two-possession game. It was his first basket of the second half, but was answered quickly by a 3-point play by Boston’s Ray Allen. Green responded with a second 3-pointer on the ensuing possession, and kept the four-point lead intact by blocking a layup moments later.

Green’s big plays came at the end of a game that featured 25 lead changes and 12 ties. The largest lead either team had all night was seven points, which the Thunder held at the end of the first quarter.

The Celtics (47-27) quickly erased that lead with near-perfect shooting in the second quarter. They went 17-of-21 from the floor and scored 38 points in the frame to take a four-point lead into halftime.

The Thunder trailed by two for much of the third quarter, but could not take the lead until the very end of the period. Rajon Rondo hit a driving layup as the buzzer sounded, tying the score at 81 going into the final quarter.

OKC went 9-of-16 from the floor in the fourth, with Green’s plays providing the final push for the win. Green – who was drafted by the Celtics before being traded – finished with 17 points, with his two late 3-pointers providing his only second-half points.

Kevin Durant led all scorers with 37 points and he was a perfect 15-of-15 from the free-throw line. Russell Westbrook scored 21 and added 10 assists, recording his 23rd double-double of the season.

Rondo also finished with a double-double on 16 points and 11 assists. Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace led Boston with 18 points each, and Wallace did not miss a shot until the final 70 seconds of the game.

The Thunder’s victory marks the third time in five games – following wins over the Rockets and Lakers – that it has beaten a team for the first time since moving to Oklahoma City. The Thunder also became the 11th team in NBA history to double its win total from the previous season, after finishing last year with a 23-59 record.

OKC also kept its hold on the No. 6 spot in the logjam that is the Western Conference playoff race. Only four games separate the No. 3 and No. 8 seeds, with the Thunder landing in the middle. The Thunder will finish its three-game road trip at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against the Dallas Mavericks.