OKC Thunder vs. Golden State Warriors, 2019-20 team preview
For the first time in six years, the Golden State Warriors aren’t the prohibitive title favorite nor are they the OKC Thunder primary nemesis any longer due to roster changes. Here’s how the clubs matchup this season.
In franchise history, the team most often associated with being the OKC Thunder nemesis was the Golden State Warriors. This became more pronounced with Kevin Durant‘s defection to the Bay the same summer as the Thunder lost the Western Conference Finals after holding a 3-1 lead.
This season, however, it will be extremely hard to summon the same angst commonly felt toward the Dubs. Kevin Durant is gone having elected to move East to the Nets. Likewise, Russell Westbrook was traded so the two main characters which drove the rivalry aren’t around to stoke the fire.
Last season the Warriors played their final season at Oracle capturing the Western Conference top seed and for the fifth consecutive season arrived at the NBA Finals. Injury ravaged the Dubs throughout the postseason with Durant falling prey to a calf injury leading to him missing nine games. Upon his controversial return, he ruptured his Achilles tendon and will subsequently likely miss the entirety of the 2019-20 season.
Klay Thompson also dealt with injuries missing his first playoff game ever (game 3 of the finals) prior to tearing his ACL in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Given both Durant and Thompson’s second injuries occurred on the same legs as their initial injuries it raised the question of whether the Warriors used poor judgment in rushing their stars back.
The Warriors will begin a new era at the Chase Center with a drastically different team and while the team retained a trio of talents must pundits doubt they’ll return to the Finals.
The Basics:
2018-19 Record: 57-25
Playoff Seed: Were the top seed in the West. Defeated the Clippers in round one (4-2), the Rockets in round two (4-2), swept the Blazers in the Western Conference Finals and lost the NBA Finals to the Toronto Raptors (2-4).
Head Coach: Steve Kerr begins his sixth season as the bench boss.
Points per game: Ranked 2nd (117.7) | Opponent points per game: Ranked 16th (111.2)
Pace: Ranked 10th (100.9) | Offensive Rating: Ranked 1st (115.9) | Defensive Rating: Ranked 13th (109.5)
Vegas Odds:
Win-Loss: 48.0 games
Odds to NBA Title: +1200
Odds to Win Conference: +789
* Odds courtesy of The Action Network.
The OKC Thunder haven’t won a regular-season series against the Warriors since 2013-14. In 2018-19 they lost two of the three meetings. With so many changes to the rosters, this season will it be the year the Thunder takes the series?
Next up, let’s look at the offseason changes made by the Warriors and review what to expect when the team’s tipoff versus each other in four contests.