Thunder vs Celtics: 2026 NBA standings race comparison

Thunder dominance in the West

The Oklahoma City Thunder hold a 64-18 record with a .780 winning percentage, placing them at the top of the Western Conference. I see the Thunder as the frontrunners in the 2026 standings race because they lead the NBA with a 106.2 defensive rating. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the MVP race and pursues a scoring title after tying Wilt Chamberlain with 126 games of 20 or more points. During the 2025-26 season, the 28-year-old point guard averages 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.6 assists with 1.4 steals. He scored 47 points against Detroit on March 30, 2026, and he recorded 35 points and 15 assists in a win over Denver on March 9, 2026. His 55.3% field goal percentage, 38.6% three-point percentage, and 87.9% free throw percentage help maintain the Thunder offensive efficiency of 1.150. The team holds a 10.8 net rating, which stays higher than the 7.9 net rating of the Boston Celtics. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander weighs 195 lbs and stands 6-6 tall. He earns $38,333,050 this year. He also scored 33 points against Boston on March 25, 2026, and 40 points against Washington on March 21, 2026.

Tatum recovers in the East

Jayson Tatum works to redeem his season after missing 62 games with a ruptured Achilles tendon. Since his return, the 28-year-old forward averages 19.7 points while shooting 39.3% from the field. The Celtics hold a 56-26 record with a .683 winning percentage and sit 3.5 games behind the Pistons in the East. Tatum needs to average 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists to remain a legitimate MVP threat if the team finishes in the top three. He scored 21 points in the first half of the Celtics’ 123-91 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. I note that Tatum has played only 17 games this season following his surgery last May. The Celtics offensive rating of 119.8 provides a significant advantage. Tatum weighs 210 lbs and stands 6-8 tall. He earns $54,126,450 annually. For his 2025-26 season, he records 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. He also shoots 41.1% from the field and 32.9% from three. Tatum was drafted 3rd overall in 2017 and has 1 championship. During the 2024-25 season, he averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists. He also earned MVP-4 and CPOY-10. He has made numerous All-NBA teams, including four All-NBA first-team selections.

Head-to-head trends and the verdict

The Thunder and Celtics split their recent meetings, with Boston winning 119-109 on March 25, 2026, and Oklahoma City winning 104-102 on March 12, 2026. I compare their season efficiencies to determine who has the edge in the standings race. Previous matchups show Boston won 132-123 on March 21, 2022, and 126-122 on November 14, 2022. However, Oklahoma City won 150-117 on January 3, 2023, and 127-123 on January 2, 2024.

The Celtics offensive efficiency of 1.159 exceeds the 1.150 efficiency of the Thunder, but the Thunder defensive efficiency of 1.048 remains superior to the 1.085 of Boston. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains the more dominant individual force, having scored 33 points against Boston on March 25, 2026, and he also recorded 40 points against Washington on March 21, 2026. He also scored 30 points against Los Angeles on April 7, 2026. You should watch the upcoming matchup between these two powerhouses. Tatum needs consistent scoring to catch the leaders in the East. Will the Celtics’ offensive rating stay high enough to overcome the Thunder’s defensive dominance? I conclude that the Thunder come out ahead because of their superior record and defensive metrics.