The Warriors used the 3-point line to its benefit in its second consecutive matchup towards the Thunder headlined by Steph Curry and his 46 factors. The Thunder’s offense was unable to maintain tempo with the high-volume scoring of Golden State by way of 4 quarters.
Of the 37 factors that the Warriors posted within the first quarter, Stephen Curry was accountable for 24 of them. The seven-time All-Star cashed in on 5 3-pointers whereas going an ideal 7-for-7 from the free throw line. Curry’s scoring outburst served as one of many two main catalysts to the Thunder’s early deficit on Saturday. The opposite was the 13 quick break factors that Golden State recorded within the first 12 minutes of motion.
The Thunder’s offense labored to maintain tempo early on. Thunder ahead Darius Bazley posted seven first quarter factors as fellow second-year participant Lu Dort sank three 3-pointers of his personal within the first half on the way in which to 12 first-half factors.
Within the second quarter, it was Draymond Inexperienced and the Warriors’ second unit that upheld the 3-point taking pictures barrage with a mixed six made triples. In the meantime, the Thunder acquired a constructive increase from its reserves as each Kenrich Williams and Svi Mykhailiuk stepped into the sport after not taking part in within the earlier matchup on Thursday.
Mykhailiuk led all Thunder scorers with 17 factors on 6-of-9 taking pictures and was one in every of three bench gamers who scored in double figures alongside Williams and two-way ahead Jaylen Hoard who each registered 13. It was Williams who offered the early increase with seven first half factors to go alongside 4 rebounds in simply 9 minutes of motion.
“He’s able to compete as at all times,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault mentioned of Williams. “That’s his calling card at this level. He introduced nice toughness to the sport and gave us good vitality in that first half particularly, then completed the sport the precise manner. He simply continues to be unbelievably constant and dependable no matter what we requested him to do – what function, what place. He’s been spectacular and tonight was no totally different.”
The Thunder’s possibilities of a comeback have been stymied within the third quarter because the Warriors erupted on run that swelled the lead handily out of attain. Behind the second 20-point quarter the sport from Curry who posted 22 within the third body, the Warriors outscored the Thunder 33-19 as OKC’s offense was unable to generate consistency on the offensive finish.
“[Curry] had it going tonight,” mentioned Daigneault. “I assumed there have been some the place we might have managed it just a little bit extra with our stress on him, making him drive. However a few of these are robust. You simply gotta tip your hat and clearly we didn’t do sufficient tonight. He was wonderful.”
For a lot of younger Thunder gamers, the mini-series towards the Warriors was the primary time going up towards the likes of Curry and Golden State’s sharp taking pictures. This made each minute on the ground all of the extra priceless for OKC and within the fourth quarter, the Thunder reserves maintained that mentality to tie the Warriors 30-30 within the last body and outscore Golden State’s reserves 52-46.
“It’s essential, particularly with improvement as a result of on this league you’ll see quite a bit, you’ll see the whole lot and the extra recreation time expertise that you simply get as a participant, the higher it makes you,” mentioned third 12 months wing Kenrich Williams.
With simply over two minutes left to play within the second quarter, the Thunder’s versatile ahead Isaiah Roby jammed dwelling an emphatic one-handed slam after taking it coast to coast in transition. The Dixon, Illinois native took on contact as he ascended to the basket which despatched him to the free throw line to finish the monstrous 3-point play.
ISAIAH ROBY WITH ZERO MERCY @okcthunder | #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/ED0BJtCCO1
— Bally Sports activities Oklahoma (@BallySportsOK) Might 9, 2023
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As marketed, the Warrior’s 3-point taking pictures took heart stage in its third and last matchup with the Thunder. Whereas Curry registered 11 of his personal, Golden State recorded 27 3-pointers at a 50 p.c clip general. For the Thunder’s younger contingent, Saturday’s matchup was a priceless studying expertise in defending high-level shooters and high-volume scorers for 48 minutes.
“It’s actually difficult simply because they’ve an excellent shooter in Stephen Curry and in addition different guys that may area the ground,” mentioned Hoard. “So simply with the ability to matchup, they make you come out and actually play protection distant from the basket. It’s simply robust to matchup with particularly once they’re hitting like tonight. It’s robust to protect however you simply received to do your finest to take them to the rim.”
Svi Mykhailiuk: “We simply gotta hold taking part in. We all know what we’re constructing right here. We simply need to be affected person and retaining studying the sport, hold taking part in exhausting and taking part in collectively. It’s a 48-minute recreation. We gotta hold doing the issues we emphasize day by day and I feel we’ll be high quality.”
–Svi Mykhailiuk
The Thunder will shut out its last back-to-back of the season with a bus experience east to California’s capital to face the Sacramento Kings Sunday night time. Will probably be the primary of two matchups with Sacramento earlier than the Thunder returns again to Chesapeake Vitality Area to shut out the 2023-21 season with a pair of dwelling video games towards the Jazz and the Clippers
Again at it tomorrow @okcthunder | #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/J3rouUdUQa
— Bally Sports activities Oklahoma (@BallySportsOK) Might 9, 2023
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