Celtics just put anyone doubting their championship potential on notice

Even after the Boston Celtics' 119-109 victory vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder, the NBA's reigning champions remain this year's title favorite. At 57-16, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company built the best record in the Association. That's despite Wednesday's loss at TD Garden being their first game at full strength this season. However, what their two tilts against Boston have made crystal clear is that the Celtics can beat them in a best-of-seven if they reconvene in June.

Some will remain skeptical. However, the victors of Wednesday's potential Finals preview have spent the current campaign defying external expectations. As Sam Cassell shared during the All-Star break, internally, their belief never wavered.

"People just counted us out," said Cassell. "Our players allow us to coach them hard, and the result they're getting is because they're driven, and they allow us to coach them the way we coach them."

Still, Wednesday's win had to feel good. Boston entered this matchup against Oklahoma City with a 0-7 record against the Thunder, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

"That was a well-needed win. I really wanted that win," voiced Jaylen Brown after registering a team-high 31 points, eight assists, matching Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the most in the contest, and eight rebounds. "We know we can play with anybody, but when you get a win on your home floor against the team that has the best record in the league, it feels good."

Knocking off the Thunder at full strength is an offering of validation. However, it's the way the Celtics won and how well Jayson Tatum played in tandem with Brown that should have people taking this team seriously as a title contender.

Tatum and Brown shine in Celtics' win vs. Thunder

As Oklahoma City's head coach, Mark Daigneault, discussed pregame, even with Tatum continuing to ramp up, any short-term struggles that come with that are a price worth paying because of the potential long-term reward.

"There's return to play, and then there's return to performance," said Daigneault. "So, when you're coming off a long-term injury like that, I would expect that he's not in full form right off the bat. And he'll just get better and better as he gets more reps and minutes, and as they get more reps and minutes [together]. But he certainly changes the complexion of their team."

That fact isn't lost on anybody, but it was painfully clear to the Thunder on Wednesday.

Tatum nearly notched a triple-double, finishing with 19 points, a game-high 12 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. As he continues to get his legs under him, he converted on three of the six shots he hoisted from behind the arc in the final three frames.

"I felt like that was a great, encouraging game for JT," said Brown after one of, and perhaps Tatum's best two-way performance, since making his season debut earlier this month. "High-level intensity, physical team, and it felt like that was a step in the right direction. We [are] still encouraging him to get back to that level of aggression that we know and are used to. But I think today was a great game of him making the right plays, making the right reads, being physical, and being Jayson Tatum, and I think it's a step in the right direction."

Celtics earn decisive wins on the margins

Jalen Williams was in his second game back from an extended absence due to a hamstring injury. He finished with seven points on nine shots in 24 minutes. Ajay Mitchell returned from a suspension on Wednesday. It stands to reason that he will look crisper in the postseason. He ended the evening with eight points on nine field goal attempts and went 0/3 from beyond the arc.

However, with Tatum still ramping up, both sides can point to a star player they expect to look better in the playoffs. Boston also didn't have Nikola Vucevic available as he works his way back from a fractured right ring finger. Luka Garza continues to fill that void. He generated seven points on 3/4 shooting and was a +9 in the hosts' victory at TD Garden.

This was a fair fight. It was one that the Celtics seized control of in the second quarter. In the final 36 minutes, they outscored the Thunder 99-78.

In that stretch, Boston buried 14/28 shots from beyond the arc. The winners of this potential Finals preview built a 34-24 advantage in points in the paint. They accumulated a 14-2 edge in second-chance points en route to ending the night with a 19-2 differential in their favor. And after making 4/9 threes in the first quarter, Oklahoma City shot 8/28 from three-point range in the final three periods.

The Celtics were the more physical team at both ends of the floor. They didn't flinch as Luguentz Dort drilled four of the six triples he launched. Despite his hot shooting, he spent most of crunch time watching the game from the bench.

His presence didn't do enough to deter Boston's ability to attack Oklahoma City's smaller guards. The hosts feasted against Isaiah Joe, Cason Wallace, and Mitchell.

There was also a fourth-quarter play where Brown gave Gilgeous-Alexander a taste of his own medicine, getting him to leave his feet before getting fouled and cashing in on a jumper from just below the free-throw line. After the bucket, the five-time All-Star was smiling ear-to-ear. It wasn't just about doing business as it's being done; it was a moment that captured Brown's and Boston's championship bravado.

It was another ingredient in an impressive display by the Celtics in a game that offered them a barometer of where they're at as the playoffs approach.

"Very encouraging. It's a step to building in the right direction," said Brown after the victory. "Obviously, it's still going to be some ups and downs. We're still working some kinks out, getting our flow. And we got, I think, like, 10 games left or nine or 10 games, and we need each one of those to build. To get ready for the playoffs. But I think today was a very, very huge step for us, and I'm proud of our guys."

Joe Mazzulla expressed a similar sentiment when he arrived at the podium post-game.

"I don't want to speak in absolutes because I'm sure there's been a bunch of other ones, but I do think tonight we took it to a different level, and it's something that we have to maintain," conveyed Mazzulla.

Between this and the Celtics' 104-102 loss to the Thunder in Oklahoma City, a game that came down to a three-point try from Payton Pritchard that appeared to be on target but didn't have enough arch on it, it's evident that if these two square off in June, either team could emerge with the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

To reach that point, as Jayson Tatum hit on while speaking with the media in the locker room after the victory, Boston must stay present and continue to maximize the 24 hours in front of them.

"We've been a good team all season. Played against a good team tonight, but they [are] all worth one," said Tatum. "We still have a long way to go. We still got ways to improve."

While that may be true, especially as he continues ramping up and he and the Celtics reacclimate to each other, Wednesday's win reinforced what the Thunder already recognized. It's a reality that skeptics are reluctant to admit: Boston isn't the title favorite, but this feel-good, expectation-defying story could end at the top of the NBA summit.