Tip-Off: 7 PM CT
Location: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Television: Bally Sports Oklahoma
Radio: WWLS 98.1FM OKC The Sports Animal
Twitter: Follow @ZacharyLowNBA for live-tweets and discussion during the game
The Oklahoma City Thunder played their best game of the season on Sunday in the home opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, and despite making it a single-digit game throughout the third quarter, the Sixers were able to blow it back open again in the fourth before finishing on top 115-103. The Thunder continues to search for their first win, but as we are all probably well aware of by now, they’re not exactly searching THAT hard for a win.
Tonight the Thunder hosts the undefeated Golden State Warriors in the second of 3 home games in 4 days. The Warriors are the dominant team from California so far this season with wins over both LA teams, as well as the Sacramento Kings.
OKC is a near double-digit underdog in tonight’s matchup, but after the energy they showed on Sunday, perhaps they can keep it a bit closer than that. Josh Giddey is coming off his best game as a rookie with the Thunder, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander found his rhythm on offense that he seemed to be lacking through the first two losses.
The most exciting matchup of the night should be Steph Curry, who has emerged as an MVP favorite, going up against Luguentz Dort, one of the NBA’s premier backcourt defenders. Steph’s brother Seth Curry shot lights out against the Thunder in the first quarter on Sunday, but maybe Dort can slow down Steph a bit tonight.
Projected Starters
Thunder
- PG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- SG: Luguentz Dort
- SF: Josh Giddey
- PF: Darius Bazley
- C: Isaiah Roby
Warriors
- PG: Steph Curry
- SG: Jordan Poole
- SF: Andrew Wiggins
- PF: Draymond Green
- C: Kevon Looney
Injuries
Thunder
- Derrick Favors is OUT (rest).
- Vit Krejci is OUT (G League – on assignment).
- Paul Watson is OUT (G League – two-way).
- Aaron Wiggins is OUT (G League – two-way).
Warriors
- Jeff Dowtin is OUT (G League – two-way).
- Andre Iguodala is PROBABLE (sore left hip).
- Jonathan Kuminga is OUT (strained right patellar tendon).
- Klay Thompson is OUT (right achilles tendon injury recovery).
- James Wiseman is OUT (right knee injury recovery).
Head-to-Head
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder is 22-23 against the Warriors in the regular season (14-8 at home, 8-15 on the road) and 3-4 in the playoffs (2-1 at home, 1-3 on the road).
- Since arriving in Oklahoma City in 2008, the Thunder has won the season series with the Warriors 6 times, lost it 5 times, and tied twice.
- The Thunder went 0-3 against the Warriors last season (0-1 at home, 0-2 on the road).
- The Thunder lost all 3 games against the Warriors last season by an average of 32.7 points.