West-best Thunder come to home of NBA champs and beat Celtics to clinch playoff berth

BOSTON (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 and Chet Holmgren had 23 points and 15 rebounds to help the Oklahoma City Thunder clinch a playoff berth by beating the Boston Celtics 118-112 on Wednesday night.

In a much-anticipated potential NBA Finals preview, the Western Conference-leading Thunder withstood a barrage of Boston 3-pointers — a franchise record 63 attempts in all — to sweep the defending NBA champions in the two-game season series and win for the 17th time in their last 18 games.

Jayson Tatum scored 33 for Boston, which had won five straight and 15 of its last 18 games. Al Horford added 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Derrick White scored 22.

Oklahoma City scored the first nine points of the game and led by 12 midway through the third before Boston tied it 88-all on Tatum's three-point play to end the quarter. It was 98-98 in the fourth before the Thunder ran off eight straight points to pull away.

Thunder: After splitting a back-to-back against Denver, their closest competitor in the West, the Thunder controlled the game against the reigning champions and the likely No. 2 seed in the East.

Celtics: If the teams do meet for the championship, expect reigning NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to play better than his 5-for-15 shooting night, missing all five 3-point attempts and scoring 10 points to match a season low before he fouled out.

With the score tied at 98 and eight minutes to play, Kenrich Williams hit a 3-pointer, Gilgeous-Alexander made a pair of free throws and, after Williams hit a free throw, Gilgeous-Alexander made a 15-foot turnaround jumper to make it an eight-point game.

Boston's 36 3-point attempts in the first half were the most in any half in NBA history. They finished 20 for 63 — tying the third most attempts in league history.

The Celtics visit Miami on Friday and the Thunder are in Detroit on Saturday.

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Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla argues a call during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) is fouled by Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Oklahoma City Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein (55) looks to pass while covered by Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Celtics center Al Horford, rear, battles for a rebound against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault calls to his players during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) tries to drive past Oklahoma City Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins (21) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) taps in a rebound against Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren, center, hangs onto the ball while surrounded by Boston Celtics during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White, left, tries to block a shot by Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drive to the basket against Boston Celtics center Luke Kornet, rear right, and forward Jayson Tatum (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drive to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded three others in the Russian city of Voronezh, local officials said Sunday.

A young woman died overnight in a hospital intensive care unit after debris from a drone fell on a house during the attack on Saturday, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said on Telegram.

Three other people were wounded and more than 10 apartment buildings, private houses and a high school were damaged, he said, adding that air defenses shot down 17 drones over Voronezh. The city is home to just over 1 million people and lies some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The attack came the day after Russia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.

For only the second time in the nearly four-year war, Russia used a powerful new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv and NATO.

The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile followed reports of major progress in talks between Ukraine and its allies on how to defend the country from further aggression by Moscow if a U.S.-led peace deal is struck.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday in his nightly address that Ukrainian negotiators “continue to communicate with the American side.”

Chief negotiator Rustem Umerov was in contact with U.S. partners Saturday, he said.

Separately, Ukraine’s General Staff said Russia targeted Ukraine with 154 drones overnight into Sunday and 125 were shot down.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

This photo provided by the Ukrainian Security Service on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, shows a fragment believed to be a part of a Russian Oreshnik intermediate range hypersonic ballistic missile that hit the Lviv region. (Ukrainian Security Service via AP)

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, listens to British Defense Secretary John Healey during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)