OKC Thunder vs. Golden State Warriors, 2019-20 team preview
Contract Situation by category:
Guaranteed: Stephen Curry, Jacob Evans, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Alec Burks, D’Angelo Russell, Omari Spellman, Glenn Robinson III, Willie Cauley-Stein, Eric Paschall,
Jordan Poole, Alen Smailagic
Non/Partial Guaranteed: Alfonzo McKinnie
Two-Way Contracts: Damion Lee | Ky Bowman
Unsigned or on Exhibit 10: Marquese Chriss | Andrew Harrison | Juan Toscano-Anderson | Kavion Pippen
Thunder performance vs. Warriors in 2018-19
The rivals meet just three times this past year with the Dubs taking two of the three contests. Several players posted strong performances in each of the games.
October 16, 2018, at Golden State: Warriors prevailed 108-100.
Stephen Curry was the high scorer for the Warriors with 32 points and nine assists while shooting five of nine from deep for 55.6 percent.
Steven Adams posted a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds while Dennis Schroder scored 21 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished six dimes and added three steals.
November 21, 2018, at Golden State: Thunder dominated 123-95
Dennis Schroder feasted leading the Thunder with 32 points, four rebounds, four assists, a steal and hit five of his six shots from the perimeter. Jerami Grant (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Steven Adams (20 points, 11 rebounds) posted double-doubles while Russell Westbrook produced a triple-double (11 points, 11 rebounds, 13 assists).
Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant each scored 27 points to lead the Dubs with KD also pulling down 14 rebounds. Stephen Curry was out with injury.
March 16, 2019, OKC Thunder versus Golden State Warriors, Loss: 88 – 110
Steph Curry delivered another top level performance scoring 33 points while adding 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. He also dropped five 3-pointers on 12 attempts.
Paul George led the way for the Thunder with a 29 point, 13 rebound double-double along with 2 assists and a steal.
Warriors Games versus OKC Thunder in 2019-20:
Away Game: Monday, November 25, 2019, at 10:30 p.m. EST
Away Game: Saturday, March 28, 2020, at 8:30 p.m. EST
Home Game: Sunday, October 27, 2019, at 3:30 p.m. EST
Home Game: Saturday, November 9, 2019, at 8:00 p.m. EST
Marquee matchup: Steph Curry versus Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
What to expect in the four matches versus Warriors this season:
After feasting on the Thunder for the better part of their five-year dominance the Warriors arrive at the 2019-20 season much more vulnerable.
In a scheduling oddity, the OKC Thunder will face the Warriors three times before the end of November. That may bode well for the Thunder as the Dubs will still be trying to integrate several new players into the mix.
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Steph Curry is still an elite level player however, so curtailing his scoring will be essential to grabbing victory. For as much as the loss of Thompson hurts the Warriors floor spacing Russell is a quality addition. Still, the Thunder backcourt combo of Chris Paul and Gilgeous-Alexander should present issues for Curry and Russell. Shai’s length and defensive prowess will be a factor in limiting Steph.
Another key will be whether Andre Roberson is healthy enough to play and whether his defensive attributes are at the same level prior to his injury. If Dre’s abilities are up to par he’ll be a major factor as he can be switched onto whatever Warriors player is a problem in each game.
Golden State took a big step back defensively last season and through the early stages of the preseason, they’ve had issues defending without fouling. For that reason it’s important the Thunder play with aggression, forcing the pace and driving the paint where the Dubs are susceptible.
Likewise, with so many new reserves on the Warriors roster, the key to victory could ultimately come down to whichever bench plays the best.
Roundtable sessions: Thunder lineups, rotations, reserve units. dark. Next
With four games on tap and three early in the season grabbing a split would be considered a win for this OKC Thunder club who are also integrating several new players.