Celtics Deemed Second-Biggest Threat To 'Dethrone' Thunder, Win NBA Finals

Boston has everything it needs to make another run at a title this summer.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 4:52pm

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Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes believes the Boston Celtics are the second-biggest threat to dethrone the Oklahoma City Thunder as NBA champions, with only the San Antonio Spurs posing a bigger threat to OKC than Boston. Hughes cites the return of Jayson Tatum and the Celtics' championship experience and defensive depth as key factors that make them a formidable opponent for the Thunder.

Why it matters

The Celtics and Thunder are two of the top teams in the NBA, and their potential matchup in the NBA Finals would be a highly anticipated and competitive series. The Celtics are looking to win their first championship since 2024, while the Thunder are seeking to defend their title and cement their status as the league's dominant team.

The details

Hughes noted that the Celtics' late-season reintroduction of Tatum to a team that was already getting strong contributions from Jaylen Brown makes them a threat to "absolutely everyone." He also pointed to the Celtics' championship experience and their depth of defenders who could potentially match up well against Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. However, Hughes acknowledged that the Celtics' big man rotation could be a weakness, with Neemias Queta being the only reliable option after Luka Garza.

  • The Celtics and Thunder met on March 12, with the Thunder winning by 2 points, though neither Tatum nor Derrick White suited up for the Celtics, and Isaiah Hartenstein and Jalen Williams sat out with injuries for the Thunder.
  • The NBA Finals are expected to take place in the summer of 2026.

The players

Jayson Tatum

A star player for the Boston Celtics who won a championship with the team in 2024 and has made the All-NBA First Team in the four seasons prior to this one.

Jaylen Brown

A key contributor for the Boston Celtics who has been having a strong season and is considered a fringe MVP candidate.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The star player for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who the Celtics would need to find a way to defend in a potential Finals matchup.

Neemias Queta

The only reliable big man option for the Boston Celtics after Luka Garza, according to the report.

Grant Hughes

A writer for Bleacher Report who analyzed the Celtics' chances of dethroning the Thunder as NBA champions.

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What they’re saying

“Jayson Tatum's return injects some wild-card energy into a potential Finals meeting between the Boston Celtics and the Thunder.”

— Grant Hughes, Bleacher Report Writer

“If Boston has an exploitable weakness, it's probably a big man rotation that gets pretty iffy after Neemias Queta.”

— Grant Hughes, Bleacher Report Writer

What’s next

The Celtics and Thunder are expected to meet in the NBA Finals, where they will battle for the championship. The outcome of this series will have major implications for the future of both franchises and the NBA landscape as a whole.

The takeaway

The Celtics-Thunder matchup in the NBA Finals would be a highly anticipated and competitive series, with the Celtics looking to dethrone the reigning champions and win their first title since 2024. While the Celtics have a strong roster led by Tatum and Brown, their big man rotation could be a weakness that the Thunder could potentially exploit. Nonetheless, the Celtics are widely regarded as the second-biggest threat to the Thunder's title defense, setting the stage for a thrilling Finals showdown.