A Glance at the Thunder's First Two Games of 2023

OKC heads into 2023 with a 15-21 record, good for 12th place in the Western Conference. The Thunder are 2.5 games out of a play-in spot, with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Utah Jazz standing in their way.

Oklahoma City begins the new year with a rematch against the 2021-22 Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics, this time at the Paycom Center. When OKC traveled to Boston on November 14, the Thunder fought tooth and nail, but ultimately fell 126-122.

Superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander exploded for 37 points, eight assists, four rebounds, two steals and one block in the last meeting, outscoring all-stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Tatum finished the contest with 27 points and 10 rebounds while Brown chipped in 26 points, six rebounds and six assists. Last season's Defensive Player of the Year, Marcus Smart, added 22 points, eight assists and five rebounds.

For the Thunder, Aleksej Pokusevski also notched a double-double, recording 16 points and 14 rebounds. In its upcoming matchup against the Celtics, Oklahoma City will need someone to replace this production in order to keep the score within reach, as Pokusevski will likely be sidelined for a third-straight game.

Currently, the Celtics sit atop the Eastern Conference at 26-11. Following the team's Tuesday night home showdown against Boston, OKC suits up against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday evening.

The Thunder last saw the Magic on November 1, in a game that was originally slated to be nationally televised. While the game didn't end up on TNT, it was the fourth consecutive win for Oklahoma City after starting the season 0-3.

The Magic, who were 1-7 after losing to the Thunder, have shown vast improvement in the past two months, going 12-17 since their abysmal start. Former No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero has exceeded expectations in his rookie season, averaging 20.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.

While Orlando is by no means a juggernaut, the team's assortment of length and talented young players will be a good benchmark for an OKC team heavily relying on it's recent draft picks.

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