OKC Thunder's Win over Celtics Illustrates Perseverance

Since the start of the season, it's seemed like Oklahoma City has had to pull teeth to garner any type of championship belief from its outside audience.

Not that it's something this team is concerned about, but it's an interesting topic. When the Thunder had two of the best young runners in the league in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook back in their early days, now well over a decade ago, they were looked at as a superior force in the Western Conference despite their youth.

Now, those teams went further than what this current Thunder rendition has of course, speaking in terms of the postseason, but the modern version is arguably better well-rounded, holds greater depth and has illustrated a heightened sharpness thus far in the regular season.

Dominating the West, this Oklahoma City team has had to earn everything, it hasn't been given. Fully healthy or not, the Thunder has amassed a massive 12-game lead in the driver's spot of the conference, and has had just about every team's number, no matter the credibility.

This post-All-Star break stretch has further proven just how strong and resilient this team is, and what it is built on.

It's most recent win over the Boston Celtics has assuredly solidified that, and has embodied how Oklahoma City has performed this season.

Taking game one-of-two against Denver at home last Sunday evening, the Thunder then had a lackadaisacal fourth quarter the next day, also against the Nuggets, leading to a double-digit loss as the team headed into its bout versus the Celtics on Wednesday in TD Garden.

Some would expect this to be a tough position. A young team looking to truly position itself as a potential championship force that recently lost to a recent championship team at home now going into the home of the previous year's title winners. The Thunder absolutely answered.

Mounting a six-point victory, Oklahoma City abided by its defense as Boston shot an absurd 63 3-pointers where the Thunder limited them to hitting just 20 of those. With Chet Holmgren having a massive game, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander doing what he does with 34 points, and the surrounding cast propping the team up, the Thunder persevered and claimed a game that was tied heading into the final frame.

It illustrated resiliency. And as Oklahoma City nears the postseason, it appears they're ready for the gauntlet that is the Western Conference playoffs.