It was the second of two consecutive games for the OKC Thunder and the Golden State Warriors. And, like the first match, the Dubs won and the Thunder lost just as they drew it up in the pregame.
Once again the Warriors jumped out to an early lead outscoring the Thunder 37-25 in the opening frame and scored 30 or more in every quarter.
Meanwhile, the OKC Thunder scored the same amount as the last game and were never in the mix to win.
It was a bit surprising the team didn’t take a bit more pride on the defensive end. That said, it’s also understandable the young team is getting a little fed up with being feasted on by opponents ‘A’ squad while they play primarily reserve units.
With that, let’s have a look at grades from the loss…
OKC Thunder starting lineup grades:
Theo Maledon collected 10 points on a rather cold 4 of 12 shooting night. The point guard added four rebounds and two assists.
The youngster is gaining experience each minute he spends on the court. Sure, he needs to work on getting his shot to be more consistent. Yet the fact he’s often been the key Thunder player running the show will pay dividends in the future.
I said it last game – and I’ll reiterate Dort doesn’t look right. The NBA injury report confirmed he’s nursing injuries (and not just the strained hip). He also is dealing with tendinopathy of his patellar tendon. So the fact Steph had a big night shouldn’t be that surprising nor will it be shocking if OKC shut him down (which they should) for the rest of the season.
He shot the ball better than the prior match collecting 16 points on 5 of 13 from the field and was aggressive getting to the line four times. Dort mixed up his offense though connecting on 3 of 7 from deep. He also contributed four rebounds and an assist.
Darius Bazley is still 20 years old. I have to keep reminding myself of that fact whenever I get impatient with his progress. He’s got the potential to be a real contributor on both ends however, missing college, and not having the typical events like Summer League or playing with SGA this season are likely slowing down his progress.
I still have faith he’ll become a consistent contributor within the core and be a two-way talent. In fact, I think it could be next year that we witness that burst. So don’t take his grade too much to heart.
In the match, Bazley scored 11 points on 4 of 12, had five rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
Back-to-back off nights for Isaiah Roby. Maybe the Warriors are just a bad matchup for him.
I’ve given Moses Brown a hard time of late. His shooting was off in this match (2 of 8) but he was aggressive on the glass collecting eight boards (five on the offensive glass) along with six points and a block.
He still jumps at opponents too much for my liking but on a night when the team loses by 39 points, everything is relative.
Best OKC Thunder reserve performance:
Kenrich Williams offered 13 points in a reserve role however, Kenny Hustle added five rebounds, five assists, and a steal. In fact, he was arguably the best OKC Thunder player of the game.
Hat tip to Jaylen Hoard who also scored 13 off the bench and Svi Mykhailiuk who scored 17 points.
Best opponent performance:
More from Thunderous Intentions
- Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
- Should the OKC Thunder chase after a disgruntled hometown hero?
- 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
- Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
- Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder
OKC
What is there left to say about a player of Stephen Curry‘s ilk? The sharpshooter followed up his 34 point effort with 49 points including 11 triples.
In a match where the Thunder failed to score 100 points the fact that Curry scored more than half what OKC collected (97) speaks volumes. And yet, the Warriors wouldn’t be as effective either if it wasn’t for all the attention Curry draws and subsequently opens up the court.
More than anything it’s the joy he plays the game with that resonates.
Curry also collected five rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
The full ESPN box score can be viewed by clicking this link.
The Thunder are right back in action on Sunday playing the Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center. Tip-off is at 9 p.m. CT (10:00 p.m EST).