Celtics Set Historic Shooting Records As Thunder Win In OT On SGA Return

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Record-breaking shooting in Boston, a tense overtime win in Denver and a wild finish in Detroit shaped a dramatic NBA slate on 28 February 2026, as the Celtics routed the Brooklyn Nets, the Oklahoma City Thunder edged the Denver Nuggets in overtime and the Detroit Pistons survived the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Thunder overturned a 16-point deficit against the Nuggets, winning 127-121 in overtime and strengthening the best record in the Western Conference. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returned from injury with 36 points and nine assists for Oklahoma City, which moved to 46-15 and claimed a fourth victory in five games.

Gilgeous-Alexander played for the first time since 3 February after missing nine games with an abdominal strain. The four-time All-Star shot 12 of 29 and operated on a minutes restriction, which meant Gilgeous-Alexander sat the entire overtime, forcing other Oklahoma City players to decide the contest in the extra period.

Cason Wallace and Isaiah Joe carried the Thunder in overtime, scoring six points each in the extra session. Chet Holmgren hit all four free throws in overtime and finished with 15 points and a career-best 21 rebounds, underlining Oklahoma City’s control of the boards during key stretches against the Nuggets.

The game grew heated early when Gilgeous-Alexander received a technical foul for throwing the ball at Nikola Jokic. Later, Lu Dort and Jokic clashed in the fourth quarter, leading to Dort’s ejection. Jokic produced 23 points, 17 rebounds and 14 assists for an NBA-leading 22nd triple-double, while Jamal Murray scored 39 points.

Murray went 7 of 13 from 3-point range and logged 47 minutes for Denver, despite being listed as questionable because of an illness. That illness had limited Murray to only eight minutes in Wednesday’s 103-84 victory over Boston, but against the Thunder the guard played extended minutes as the Nuggets slipped to 37-23.

Boston’s 148-111 home win over Brooklyn featured one of the most efficient shooting displays in franchise history. The Celtics shot 66.7 per cent from the field, making 52 of 78 attempts, the second-highest mark the club has ever recorded, just behind the 67.9 per cent achieved against Golden State on 21 November 1984.

From beyond the arc, Boston hit 22 of 34 3-pointers, converting 64.7 per cent and setting a franchise best in any game with at least 25 attempts from long range. Overall, the Celtics’ effective field goal percentage reached 80.8 per cent, the highest single-game figure recorded by any NBA team in the shot clock era.

Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 28 points on 9-of-12 shooting, adding nine assists and seven rebounds for Boston, which now stands at 39-20. The 148 points represented Boston’s highest output since a 155-104 win against the Indiana Pacers on 1 November 2023, highlighting the offence’s volume and efficiency.

The Celtics’ depth also dominated, producing a season-best 77 bench points. Nikola Vucevic came off the bench to score 28 points with 11 rebounds, while fellow reserve Payton Pritchard added 22 points. Boston captured a fifth win in six games as Brooklyn dropped a seventh straight, leaving the Nets at 15-44 overall.

Michael Porter Jr. scored 18 points to top Brooklyn’s scoring, but the Nets’ struggles on the road continued. Brooklyn fell to 1-15 away from home since the calendar turned to 2026. The defensive unit could not slow Boston’s perimeter shooting or contain the Celtics’ bench production during the one-sided second half.

NBA overtime drama as Pistons outlast Cavaliers

Detroit’s 122-119 overtime victory over Cleveland featured a major comeback, a lengthy stoppage and a crucial foul in the dying seconds. Jalen Duren matched a career high with 33 points, adding 16 rebounds for a fourth straight game with at least 25 points and 10 boards, continuing a dominant individual stretch.

Cade Cunningham contributed 25 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists before fouling out, helping the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons move to 44-14. Detroit has now won seven of the last eight games, strengthening control of the conference lead, while the Cavaliers slipped to 37-24 despite strong performances from their starting frontcourt.

The Pistons trailed by nine with 2:44 left in regulation and still faced a four-point deficit when Cunningham fouled out with 1:56 remaining, yet Detroit rallied. Daniss Jenkins forced overtime by sinking three free throws with 4.7 seconds left, drawing a shooting foul from Jaylon Tyson near half-court.

Tyson had been attempting an intentional foul to prevent a 3-point attempt, but Jenkins released the ball and earned three shots. In overtime, Cleveland’s Evan Mobley missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have forced another extra period, ending a night where Mobley registered 23 points and 12 rebounds.

The contest also featured an unusual 18-minute delay in the third quarter when a power surge caused the overhead scoreboard’s horn to sound continuously. To continue play, arena staff shut down the main scoreboard and used a manual airhorn instead. Jarrett Allen posted 25 points and nine rebounds for Cleveland.

The Cavaliers were again without starting guards James Harden, sidelined by a thumb problem, and Donovan Mitchell, who continues to deal with a groin issue, leaving the offence short-handed. Across the league’s busy night, the Celtics’ record shooting, the Thunder’s comeback and the Pistons’ late surge underscored decisive performances from star players and key reserves.