What OKC Thunder Can Learn from Boston Celtics Championship Run

Once a series reaches the dreaded 3-0 mark, it's almost impossible to come back for the team in the losing category.

The Boston Celtics were able to make that happen Wednesday night, completing a 106-99 win over the Dallas Mavericks on the road. A late offensive surge almost changed the game for the home team, but Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and company were able to prevent the win from slipping through their hands.

Boston is all but certain to win its 18th NBA Championship, which would officially break the tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most all time. This year's team had it all — two co-stars, a strong big man presence, defense, shot creation and 3-point shooting everywhere.

As the Oklahoma City Thunder continues its upward trajectory as a legitimate Finals contender out of the Western Conference, there's plenty it can take away from what the Celtics have accomplished.

A large reason Boston has been so successful is its roster construction. Every player in the starting lineup, and most on its bench, has the ability to shoot the 3-pointer and make smart playmaking decisions, making for a highly dynamic and skilled team that is hard to figure out defensively. There isn't a glaring weak spot or weird fit, its roster fits smoothly together and plays as a complete team.

Oklahoma City has garnered sort of a similar idea when constructing its roster for the modern NBA, but it's still a ways from getting to that level. Part of that is just the time it needs to grow and develop together, but it also doesn't exactly have a starting lineup that can completely co-exist in the same way.

The obvious player in this conversation is Josh Giddey, who struggled massively last season to find a consistent level of play and role in the starting lineup. He's a defensive and 3-point shooting liability that can hurt the flow of the offense at times, which can't exactly continue if the Thunder want to go all the way. But even with a player like Luguentz Dort — one of the best perimeter defenders in the entire league — his inconsistent offense and decision-making could be a problem moving forward.

To be a championship team in this era, the NBA is moving towards a true five-out style of play. Every player should be able to nearly do it all. And as long as things go according to plan, the Celtics aren't going to lose that anytime soon.

Oklahoma City has plenty of time to make this happen. Last season was just the first step in its rise to prominence once again, its roster is still very young and will make vast improvements as it gains. more experience. But the thought of how it will get to Boston's level should be considered, especially with so many decisions to make regarding the roster coming up.

With time the Thunder can absolutely get there. Learning from the best is one of the most beneficial ways to do it, and it can look no further than the Celtics.

Who knows? Maybe one day the two will meet on the biggest stage in basketball.

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