Hanging On For Their Playoff Lives, Dubs Drop Thunder
By: Esteban Schear
SAN FRANCISCO - With only three games left in the regular season, Golden State’s match-up with Oklahoma City was pretty much a must-win contest for both teams. The Warriors needed a victory to stay even with the Clippers and the Lakers in the battle for the precious fifth and sixth spots in the standings, where teams can escape the play-in tournament and the possibility of missing the play-offs if they lose two games in a row. OKC needed a win to bolster their chances of holding onto the 10th spot and making it into the play-in tournament. They entered the game with 41 losses, while Dallas, sitting in the 11th spot, had 42. Before the game started, Chase Center was rocking. The GSW fans knew that this last regular season home game was a key to the Dubs’ playoff fortunes.
The Dubs prevailed, 136-125, in a game that was tighter than the final score would indicate. Fighting for their playoff lives, the Thunder gave last’s year’s champions a real test of their resilience.
OKC fields an impressive group of young players. Shea Gilgeous-Alexander, the oldest player among their starters at 24, is having a spectacular season, averaging 32 points a game, 4th in the NBA. Although 20-year old Josh Giddey is listed as a shooting guard, he functions more like a 6'8 point guard, with fluid moves and the ability to both drive and shoot over smaller defenders. This season he is averaging 17 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists, a mature player despite his youth. Jalen Williams, who is 21, has a sparkling shooting touch and the ability to get open and make both twos and threes. Isaiah Joe, at 23, also has a fine shot, while 220-pound Lu Dort, also 23, who looks like a linebacker, plays very tough defense and can score inside.
The Warriors announced Andrew Wiggins’ return to the Dubs before the game, but he wasn’t ready to start playing against OKC, and it’s unlikely he’ll see action in the regular season, according to Steve Kerr. The Dubs also had to play without Klay Thompson, who was unexpectedly sidelined with what is apparently a minor back injury.
The Dubs felt Thompson’s absence, and OKC was able to jump out to a 17-9 lead behind the scoring of Shea G-A, Jalen Williams and Dort. For the entire first half, OKC looked like the better team, shooting 57% on three-pointers, and 60% overall, and never losing the lead. Shea G-A led the Thunder charge with 21 points at the half. Giddey, Jalen Williams, Jo and Dort all made solid contributions as well. The Thunder led 79 to 69 at the end of the half, after taking advantage of the Warriors’ lackluster defense.
Despite OKC’s offensive prowess, the Warriors were able to stay close to the Thunder by riding the flare and skill of Steph Curry, who played brilliantly with 24 first half points. Moses Moody got more playing time because of Thompson’s absence and did his part, with 8 first half points on three-for-three shooting. Donte Devicenzo was a blur of energy, both defending and hitting three’s.
In the third quarter, OKC’s shooting cooled off but it was able to maintain a four-point lead going into the fourth, 106 to 102. It looked like the game might go down to the wire. Then the Warriors exploded offensively and amped up their defensive intensity. Despite Curry riding the bench for the first four minutes of the quarter, the Warriors were able to grab their first lead behind Jordan Poole’s scoring. After Curry and Draymond Green reentered the game, the Warriors took off. Poole continued his hot-shooting and the Warriors stretched their lead to 15 points before garbage time arrived with a couple of minutes to go.
Green ended up with 17 points, 9 boards, 5 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks, and provided his usual leadership and defensive intensity. Poole scored 18 points in the fourth quarter with his sometimes unstoppable blend of three-point shooting and lightening quick drives to basket, often with a 360-spin thrown in for added spice. Poole finished with 30 points, while Curry had 34. Despite his penchant for costly turnovers at the end of close games, Poole has been playing much better the last four games, providing much of the Dubs’ offensive energy at crucial times. After the game, Curry said, “We kind of read the game plan, and Lu Dort was going to stay on me and not help, so just give JP space, let him go to work. He hit some big three’s, he got to the free throw line, and our biggest thing is just to be decisive on offense.”
For OKC fans, this game showed why they should have hope for the future, but that they will need some patience, too. Their young core has talent, and will get even better when Chet Holmgren joins them next year, but they still don’t have the experience necessary to match the Warriors in a game with this kind of playoff importance.
For Warriors’ fans, it was a highly satisfying night. The win moved the Warriors back up to fifth in the Western Conference. Because the Lakers and the Clippers play each other next, if the Dubs can win their last two games against Sacramento and Portland, they will end up no lower than sixth. The excellent play of both Moody and GP2 gives the Warriors more depth for the playoffs. Wiggins’ return can be expected to magnify their strength at both ends of the floor, at least after the first few games when his lack of conditioning may hold him back.
This was the second game in a row that the Dubs let a weaker opponent stay in the game through three quarters, only to take over in the fourth with a dominating performance. The championship DNA that gets so much lip service was on full display against the Spurs and the Thunder at the end of those games. The question for the Warriors is whether they can generate that kind of effort for a full game against better teams in the playoffs. If so, they might be beaten, but they will be a tough out.