Celtics silence Thunder to secure home-court advantage in the NBA playoffs.

In the second half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Kristaps Porzingis of the Boston Celtics shoots a 3-pointer against the Oklahoma City Thunder before heading back upcourt. (AP)

In a dominating performance, the Boston Celtics secured the NBA's best record of the season and secured home-court advantage throughout the playoffs with a resounding 135-100 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Washington.


Kristaps Porzingis had an impressive performance, scoring 27 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, while Jayson Tatum added 24 points and Jaylen Brown contributed 23 points for the Celtics, who improved to an Eastern Conference-best 60-16 record.

In the Western Conference, both Minnesota and Denver share the lead with a 53-23 record.

Despite having six games left in the regular season, the Celtics have secured home-court advantage throughout the playoffs as they pursue their 18th NBA title.


Reflecting on the achievement, Jayson Tatum emphasized the importance of appreciating the process and not skipping steps towards their ultimate goal of winning a championship. He acknowledged the significance of winning 60-plus games and securing the best record in the league but stressed the necessity of winning on the road during the playoffs.


In other games, Minnesota routed Toronto 133-85 to tie with Denver for the Western Conference lead. The injury-hit Milwaukee Bucks lost to Memphis 111-101 without Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton, and Patrick Beverley. Anthony Davis led the Los Angeles Lakers to a 125-120 victory over Washington, while Jalen Johnson recorded his first career triple-double to help the Atlanta Hawks defeat Detroit 121-113.


Phoenix secured a playoff position with a 122-101 win over Cleveland, while New Orleans fell into the play-in zone after a 117-108 loss to Orlando. Brooklyn Nets won 115-111 against Indiana, and Portland Trail Blazers defeated Charlotte Hornets 89-86.


Additionally, Charlotte Hornets coach Steve Clifford announced his decision to step down after the season, with the team out of playoff contention at 18-58.

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