The Warriors have not lost three consecutive games all season. Of course, they hadn’t lost two straight until Tuesday, when Oklahoma City grabbed a 3-1 series lead with its 118-94 win. Suddenly Golden State, who set a league record for regular season wins, is on the brink of elimination.
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Oklahoma City Thunder +7.5
Golden State Warriors -7.5
Over/Under 220.5
LOOK AHEAD
With the series headed back to California, not many expected the Thunder to be the team on the verge of advancing to the NBA Finals. But that’s where we are following OKC’s second straight pounding of the defending champs, 118-94 on Tuesday. The Thunder can close out the record-setting Warriors with a victory in Game 5, but don’t think it’s going to come easily, even though OKC made it look that way on its home court.
The dynamics of this series can change in Oakland, where the Warriors will have the backing of their own loud crowd and the Thunder won’t be able to feed off the intensity of their fans. As difficult as it is to imagine the Warriors losing three straight, the same could be said for the Thunder, who have appeared to shake the Warriors’ confidence for the first time all season. The good news for Golden State is that they have the stars capable of carrying the team and the ability to come back from a 3-1 deficit. Like Stephen Curry said following Tuesday’s loss, “The series isn’t over yet.”
INJURIES
Stephen Curry was limited to 19 points on 6 of 20 shooting during Tuesday’s game. His performance was so uncharacteristic that reporters asked if he was injured. “He’s not injured,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He’s coming back from the knee, but he’s not injured. He just had a lousy night, it happens.”
KEY MATCHUP
Golden State was favored coming into the series, and rightfully so. Yet the Thunder couldn’t play the role of underdog because they didn’t believe it. Russell Westbrook believes he’s better than Stephen Curry. His intensity and, at times, reckless play, make him the leader and drives OKC to being better, wanting more. Westbrook was terrific throughout Game 4, posting his first triple-double of the postseason with 36 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds. The discussions over his style of play have quieted now that OKC has taken such complete control of the series, but it should be noted that his aggressiveness has raised OKC’s intensity a few levels as they overwhelm the Warriors.
Don’t expect him to change. In fact, Westbrook will likely be more amped on Thursday with a chance to close out the series. He’s directed game-changing runs, thwarting time and again the Warriors threat of making a charge. He’s played tremendous defense by getting in passing lanes, turning steals into transition buckets, and making the Warriors expend great amounts of energy on both ends of the court.
QUICK PICK
The Warriors couldn’t have picked a worse time to lose two straight for the first time all season. But they’re still the defending champs and won’t go down without a fight. Much like they did to San Antonio, the Thunder have made a historically good club look slow and overmatched with the most devastating mix of length and athleticism in the NBA.
While Golden State’s stars have struggled, OKC’s have not. And the Thunder’s improved play from role players like Serge Ibaka, Dion Waiters, Steven Adams and Andre Roberson continues to be one of the biggest stories of the postseason. OKC would not have been able to beat a 67-win team and go up 3-1 on a 73-win team without those huge efforts, and they look set to compete for a title if they continue.
NBA Odds: Oklahoma City 112, Golden State 109
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