Warriors look to continue to roll against depleted Thunder: Game Preview

The red-hot Golden State Warriors look to continue their outstanding early season dominance on the road against the ailing Oklahoma City Thunder.

After three consecutive monstrous triumphs and notching the second best winning percentage in the Western Conference, the Warriors may be the NBA’s hottest team. Golden State steam-rolled through the Charlotte Hornets, Los Angelas Lakers, and the Utah Jazz in an impressive fashion, for they were expected to win, but not quite expected to dismantle each team.

Everyone seems to have found their role in the Warriors rotation and has played immensely well. Last season’s demons seem to have dissipated for the Warriors forward, as the emergence of Harrison Barnes has propelled the Dubs tremendously. The most promising constituent about their sensational 9-2 start is that all-star forward David Lee has yet to play a game where he’s given sufficient minutes, for he’s been absent throughout the majority of the season due to injury.

Without Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City’s two superstar powers, the Thunder are extremely thin in terms of talent and have struggled unequivocally. Their disappointing 3-11 record stands as the worst winning percentage in the West, and you could make a strong argument that they are the worst team in the conference without their two leaders.

The Warriors have displayed their competence of cake-walking passed below-average teams, but in order to continue their marvelous stampede, they must keep a sharp eye on Oklahoma City guard Reggie Jackson. Jackson has flashed his potential coming off the bench as Westbrook’s backup the last couple of seasons, but now that Westbrook is injured, he has received significant minutes and has been stellar for Scott Brooks. Jackson is averaging 19.9 points a game along with 7.7 assists as the starting point guard. He’s going to be the guy, alongside the Thunder’s prominent center Serge Ibaka, that the Warriors are going to need to contain.

As for the Warriors, this appears to be a relatively easy road victory on the schedule, but playing in the Chesapeake Energy Arena could be quite the task. In the last three blowout wins for the Warriors, two of them were at Oracle Arena, and the one away game was at Staples Center, where a plethora of blue and yellow clothing stood out from around the stands.

I expect it to be a tight game in Oklahoma City, with the Warriors eventually prevailing against the thin, depleted roster of the Thunder. The depth of the Warriors as well as the confidence and rhythm currently in effect is going to be too much for one of the league’s worst teams. Expect Stephen Curry, Andrew Bogut, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson to have big games after playing limited minutes in Utah, preceded by a four-day rest period without a game scheduled.

Tale of the Tape

Warriors

• Points per game: 107.9 (2nd)
• Field-goal percentage: 49.9% (1st)
• Three-point percentage: 38.6% (3rd)
• Defensive field-goal percentage: 41.5% (T-2nd)
• Rebounds per game: 43.8 (6th)
• Turnovers: 18.7 (30th)

Thunder:

• Points per game: 89.9 (29th)
• Field-goal percentage: 42.1% (27th)
• Three-point percentage: 32.0% (T-24th)
• Defensive field-goal percentage: 43.0% (5th)
• Rebounds per game: 42.4 (T-14th)
• Turnovers: 14.5 (T-21st)

Injury Report

GSW: David Lee (strained left hamstring) is out.

OKC: Kevin Durant (right foot Jones fracture), Russell Westbrook (right second metacarpal fracture), Perry Jones (right knee contusion), Grant Jerrett (left ankle surgery) and Mitch McGary are out.

Probable Starters

GOLDEN STATE (9-2)

• F Harrison Barnes (12.0 PPG)
• F Draymond Green (12.7 PPG)
• C Andrew Bogut (8.5 PPG)
• G Klay Thompson (22.6 PPG)
• G Stephen Curry (23.3 PPG)

OKLAHOMA CITY (3-11)

• F Lance Thomas (7.1 PPG)
• F Serge Ibaka (15.6 PPG)
• C Stephen Adams (8.2 PPG)
• G Andre Roberson (5.2 PPG)
• G Reggie Jackson (19.9 PPG)

Game Info

Tip-off: 4:00 PM PST

Location: Chesapeake Energy Arena

TV: LOCAL