The Boston Celtics head to the Paycom Center on Thursday night for a heavyweight cross-conference clash against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. It is widely considered a potential preview of the 2026 NBA Finals. This matchup features the top two defenses in the league and the two primary frontrunners for the MVP award in Jaylen Brown and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Boston enters the contest at 43–22, currently second in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics have maintained their elite status despite significant offseason roster turnover. While the team has leaned heavily on Jaylen Brown’s MVP-caliber production, the recent return of their franchise centerpiece, Jayson Tatum, has boosted Boston’s morale as they hunt for the top seed.
The Thunder arrive with a league-best 51–15 record, fresh off a win over the Nuggets. Oklahoma City has been a juggernaut at home, currently riding a six-game winning streak. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.7 points per game. The Thunder have paired a high-octane offense with a defense that leads the league in steals and blocks.
With home-court advantage throughout the playoffs potentially on the line, this “Peacock NBA Thursday” game is the most anticipated game of the month. Full venue, time, and broadcast details are listed below.
Celtics vs. Thunder: Live Streaming And Game Info
- Date: Thursday, March 12, 2026
- Time: 9:30 PM ET (8:30 PM CT)
- Venue: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
- TV Broadcast (Local): NBC Sports Boston, FanDuel Sports Network – Oklahoma
- National Broadcast: Prime Video
- Live Streaming: NBA League Pass, Amazon Prime Video
Projected Lineups For Thunder vs. Celtics
Boston Celtics
- PG: Jrue Holiday
- SG: Derrick White (if active) or Payton Pritchard
- SF: Jaylen Brown
- PF: Jayson Tatum (if active) or Al Horford
- C: Neemias Queta
Oklahoma City Thunder
- PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SG: Alex Caruso
- SF: Luguentz Dort
- PF: Aaron Wiggins
- C: Chet Holmgren
Injury Report & Jayson Tatum Availability
After making a miraculous season debut on March 6 following Achilles surgery, Jayson Tatum is officially listed as Questionable for tonight’s game. The Celtics have been extremely cautious with his workload, and he is currently under strict injury management. While he participated in the morning shootaround, his status remains a game-time decision.
Boston Celtics
- Nikola Vucevic (C): OUT (Right ring finger fracture)
- Derrick White (G): QUESTIONABLE (Right knee contusion)
- Payton Pritchard (G): PROBABLE (Neck spasms)
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Jalen Williams (SF): OUT (Right hamstring strain)
- Isaiah Hartenstein (C): OUT (Left calf contusion)
- Alex Caruso (G/F): PROBABLE (Hip contusion)
Odds
- Spread: Thunder -6.5
- Moneyline: Thunder -255 / Celtics +210
- Over/Under: 216.5
Thunder vs. Celtics Head to Head
This is the first of two regular-season meetings between the Celtics and Thunder this year. Historically, the Boston Celtics lead the all-time regular-season series 79–68, though the Thunder have been the more dominant side in recent years.
Oklahoma City won the final encounter of the 2024–25 season and has covered the spread in four of their last five home games against Boston. Tonight’s game is also the first time Tatum and Gilgeous-Alexander might face off since the 2025 playoffs.
Prediction
The Thunder enter as favorites due to their health and home-court dominance. While the Celtics’ defense can make life difficult for SGA, Nikola Vučević’s absence in the paint gives Chet Holmgren a major advantage in the paint. Even if Jayson Tatum plays, he will likely be on a minutes restriction, which may not be enough to overcome an OKC squad that is currently firing on all cylinders.
Score Prediction: Thunder 114 – Celtics 106
Where To Watch Across The Globe
United States
- Date/Time: March 12, 2026, 9:30 PM ET
- Channel: Prime Video, NBC Sports Boston, FDSOK
Canada
- Date/Time: March 12, 2026, 9:30 PM ET
- Channel: NBA League Pass, TSN
United Kingdom
- Date/Time: March 13, 2026, 1:30 AM GMT
- Channel: NBA League Pass, TNT Sports
Australia
- Date/Time: March 13, 2026, 12:30 PM AEDT
- Channel: NBA League Pass, ESPN
Germany
- Date/Time: March 13, 2026, 2:30 AM CET
- Channel: NBA League Pass, DAZN
France
- Date/Time: March 13, 2026, 2:30 AM CET
- Channel: NBA League Pass, beIN Sports
Spain
- Date/Time: March 13, 2026, 2:30 AM CET
- Channel: NBA League Pass, Movistar+
Italy
- Date/Time: March 13, 2026, 2:30 AM CET
- Channel: NBA League Pass, Sky Italia
India
- Date/Time: March 13, 2026, 7:00 AM IST
- Channel: NBA League Pass, JioCinema, Sports18
Brazil
- Date/Time: March 12, 2026, 10:30 PM BRT
- Channel: NBA League Pass, ESPN, Prime Video
Mexico
- Date/Time: March 12, 2026, 7:30 PM CST
- Channel: NBA League Pass, ESPN, Star+
Japan
- Date/Time: March 13, 2026, 10:30 AM JST
- Channel: NBA League Pass, Rakuten TV
Philippines
- Date/Time: March 13, 2026, 9:30 AM PHT
- Channel: NBA League Pass, TV5, NBA TV Philippines
Singapore
- Date/Time: March 13, 2026, 9:30 AM SGT
- Channel: NBA League Pass, StarHub, or Singtel
