Game Preview: Golden State Warriors vs Oklahoma City Thunder
By Andrew Ites
The Warriors will be looking to avenge an early-season loss for the third straight game as they host the Thunder on Tuesday night.
Golden State is in the midst of one of their toughest stretches of the 2017-18 season thus far as they’ve gone 1-2 over the last three games including losses to the Jazz and Nuggets and a sluggish start against the Kings.
Steve Kerr has mentioned that his team is “mentally fried”, and may be getting caught looking forward to the long-awaited All-Star Break. Their road towards All-Star Weekend includes a four-game home stand that begins with a huge game against Oklahoma City.
The Thunder beat the Warriors 108-91 at home earlier this season in an emotional game that involved a ton of trash talk between Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. There has been no love lost between those two All-Stars, and they’re relationship will surely be the top story every time these two teams meet up.
The Thunder are currently in fifth place in the Western Conference standings. They have the league’s eighth-ranked offense and fifth-ranked defense, but they’ve struggled since losing Andre Roberson to a season-ending injury.
Like the Warriors, Oklahoma City is coming into this game off of a rough patch of games as they’ve lost four in a row. Their four game losing streak comes after an eight game winning streak as their roller coaster season continues its up-and-down trajectory.
Both teams will be looking to right the ship on Tuesday night in what has become one of the NBA’s most fierce rivalries.
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Game Details
Golden State Warriors at Denver Nuggets
Tip-Off: Tuesday, February 6, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. PST
Location: Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA
TV: TNT
Radio: 95.7 The Game, Warriors Radio Network