Warriors vs. Thunder: Game Preview
Nov 26, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (30) shoots over New Orleans Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis (23) during the first quarter of a game at New Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Black Friday, November 29th. The Golden State Warriors, (9-7) still hungry for leftovers and the Larry O’Brien trophy will look to push the envelope themselves by beating the Oklahoma City Thunder (10-3) as they will be serving court at Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Tip-off is at 5:00 P.M. (PT) for this one, so fire up that brand new TV you just bought this morning. Tune into CSN Bay Area, NBA TV and KNBR 680 AM if you’re old school. Go find your favorite game thread, crack those knuckles and thumbs and get ready to ride with the Golden State Warriors as they look for seconds on this four game road trip.
Probable starters with stats of note
Golden State
Stephen Curry PPG 20.5, APG 8.8, SPG 1.7, RPG 4
Klay Thompson PPG 21.1, FG% 50
Harrison Barnes PPG 12.3, 3PT% 52
David Lee PPG 17.8, RPG 9.4, FG% 51
Andrew Bogut PPG 7.2, RPG 9.4, BPG 1.6, FG% 55
Oklahoma City
Russell Westbrook PPG 20, RPG 5.4, APG 5.4, SPG 1.6
Thabo Sefolosha PPG 7.3
Kevin Durant PPG 28.2, RPG 7.5, APG 5.1
Serge Ibaka PPG 14.7, RPG 10.2, BPG 2.5, FG% 53
Kendrick Perkins
Team offensive statistics
Warriors- PPG 102, FG% 47, 3PT% 44, FT% 72 (Misc.) RPG 53, APG 24, SPG 8, BPG 5
Thunder- PPG 103, FG% 45, 3PT% 32, FT% 81 (Misc.) RPG 54, APG 21, SPG 8, BPG 6
Team defensive statistics
Warriors- PPG 98, FG% 43, 3PT% 35 (Misc.) RPG 51, APG 21, SPG 8, BPG 4
Thunder- PPG 98, FG% 43, 3PT% 35 (Misc.) RPG 53, APG 22, SPG 10, BPG 4
How to stop the Thunder’s bench:
Reggie Jackson, who is a pick and roll artist, uses his crossover to get things moving. The book on him is play under screens defensively and make him go left. From the center and left side of the basketball court, Jackson shot 42% last season.
Jeremy Lamb, the 12th pick in the 2012 Draft from Connecticut, is approaching relevance scoring 9.3 PPG in 19.5 MPG this season. His shot chart has a lot of green on it so far with a few exceptions. From the top of the key two and three and the left short porch Lamb is 2-14 (14%). The Warriors should dare him to shoot from these localities.
Steven Adams, the 12th pick in this year’s draft from Pittsburgh, is getting 18 MPG, while scoring and rebounding five. The young man is even blocking over a shot a contest. He’s taken two shots outside of the paint in 13 games. The Warriors need to do their work early on Adams.
Nick Collison has made a living being scrappy. The Warriors have to box him out. Collison is a 54% career field goal shooter a percentage that no doubt has been developed within seven feet of the basket. If anything the Warriors need to make him go left and shoot it from the perimeter.
Derek Fisher, the former Warrior, needs to be forced to drive the basketball where any good Warrior fan could tell you he is ineffectual. The Warriors need to guard against the three pointer… obviously.
Perry Jones started shooting three pointers this season but has yet to show a mid range game. The Warriors should make him put it on the deck.