Within the second night time of a tricky road-home back-to-back, the Thunder met a Warriors workforce that was firing on all cylinders from the 3-point line. A lopsided third quarter and a 42-point efficiency from Steph Curry proved to be the deciding think about Wednesday night time’s matchup.
Instantly following a tough-fought recreation within the high-altitude of Salt Lake Metropolis in opposition to the primary workforce within the Western Convention, the Thunder boarded a flight again to the Oklahoma Metropolis and the Central Time Zone the place they’d meet the Warriors for the second night time of a road-home again to again. Regardless of a powerful begin offensively for the Thunder, the Warriors headlined by Steph Curry’s 42 factors, would take command of the sport within the second and third quarters.
“We don’t wish to use the back-to-back as an excuse. We’ve discovered these classes,” mentioned Daigneault. “I believed we began the sport very well, however we didn’t maintain it for 48. So, a few of that was us, however you’ve received to credit score them. They actually have been sharp tonight, and I believed their foot was on the fuel.”
In that first quarter, the Thunder missed its first three seems from the 3-point line till Svi Mykhailiuk stepped right into a rhythm 3-pointer on the prime of the important thing and opened up the Thunder’s capturing type behind the arc. After beginning 0-for-3, the Thunder would end the quarter going 4-of-6 from deep and posting 32 factors on 57 p.c from the sphere. In the meantime, the Warriors additionally profited from the 3-point line going 6-of-12 within the first quarter on the best way to a 36-point efficiency.
Whereas the Warriors continued the onslaught from behind the arc to the tune of 39 factors within the second quarter, the Thunder’s offense started to chill off. With a purpose to generate pictures, the Thunder appeared to its tried-and-true downhill assault, remaining aggressive and seeking to get to the paint.
The main contributor on this space was Thunder ahead Darius Bazley who, in his third recreation again after lacking 16 with a shoulder contusion, confirmed no indicators of fatigue or slippage in his 28 minutes of recreation time. Actually, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault praised the second-year ahead for his elevated sharpness and aggressiveness since his return. By the tip of the night time, Bazley tied his season excessive with 22 factors on 10-18 from the sphere. All however two of his factors got here from contained in the lane.
“He saved his foot on the fuel. He drove the ball very well. He received to seams. He seems stronger on his drives,” mentioned Daigneault. “He’s sort of improved from that coming off the damage. He seems somewhat sharper. He seems somewhat stronger together with his finishes, stronger with the ball, so we gotta preserve constructing on it.”
One different main beneficiary of the Thunder’s downhill assault was Moses Brown who completed the night time with 18 factors and 12 rebounds marking his second consecutive double-double and his ninth of the season. Exterior of the assisted buckets, Brown made a gentle dwelling on the glass the place he remained energetic across the 6-foot-9 stature of Kevon Looney and performed a significant function within the Thunder’s 22-17 benefit in second probability factors and its 70-50 benefit within the paint.
“I believed he introduced nice vitality once more tonight. Even by the lows of the sport he burned himself out tonight, so he was a constructive,” mentioned Daigneault. “He’s received to continue to grow. These are necessary video games for him and necessary experiences, however it was good to see him sort of the final two nights bounce again.”
Level Mo #MosesBrown | #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/VrODCIr8d7
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) April 15, 2023
The Thunder went into the half trailing by 21 factors after Golden State’s highly-efficient second quarter. Within the third, the Warriors responded with a 50-point quarter behind the sharpshooting Curry who completed the sport with 11-made 3-pointers. Twenty-five of Curry’s 42 factors got here within the third quarter the place he went an ideal 8-for-8 from the sphere together with 6-for-6 from the 3-point line. Behind the efforts of Curry, Golden State constructed up its largest lead of the night time and put the Thunder fully out of attain within the third body.
“That is a part of taking part in the NBA. There’s going to be elite gamers in any yr within the NBA and on a number of nights you’re gonna need to go in opposition to elite expertise and all-time expertise,” mentioned Daigneault. “So that you’ve received to know how potent these guys are the eye to element and the trouble and the main target that it requires simply to maintain them in examine, you’re by no means gonna shut these guys out. And it’s a great lesson. I’d relatively have gone by the expertise than not.”
Bazley’s 22-point night time included an eye catching one-handed slam within the fourth quarter. Because the 6-foot-8 ahead accelerated down the center of the ground, he was met with Warriors guard Nico Mannion on the prime of the important thing. Bazley utilized a easy out and in to get into the lane the place he elevated and threw down an uncontested right-handed slam.
72
Regardless of the Thunder holding the sting in paint factors and second probability factors, the Warriors eclipsed the Thunder from behind the arc. After pulling down 23 3-pointers of their earlier recreation on Monday, the Warriors backed up the efficiency with 24 on Wednesday whereas capturing at an total 51-percent clip from deep. 72 of the Warriors’ 147 factors got here from behind the arc in comparison with 21 from the Thunder.
“It’s nearly being prepared and staying engaged. These video games are 48 minutes lengthy. We’ve a variety of them so it’s straightforward to simply get misplaced within the motion and simply the lengthy season. It’s all concerning the preparation and simply being mentally locked in for each single recreation.”
–Moses Brown
“The factor with all these classes is you bought to study them and you bought to use them ahead and that’s our problem. We’ve received to make it possible for these classes aren’t occurring discovered and that we’re progressing ahead because of them as a result of clearly these video games are enjoyable. So we’ve received to have the ability to redeem one thing out of it and develop from it.”
–Coach Daigneault
It was a fast journey residence for the Thunder who now embark on a protracted stretch of video games away from Chesapeake Power Area. Six of the following seven video games for OKC can be on the highway beginning with a visit to Motor Metropolis to tackle the Pistons Friday night at 6 p.m.
Chris Fisher and @Exhoopsmc preview Friday’s recreation in Detroit. #ThunderUp | @okcthunder pic.twitter.com/2NgVoGwolS
— Bally Sports activities Oklahoma (@BallySportsOK) April 15, 2023
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