NBA News Wire
Warriors 117, Thunder 91
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
OAKLAND, Calif. — The Golden State Warriors harassed Oklahoma City stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook into 8-for-37 shooting Monday night en route to their third consecutive win over the Thunder, 117-91.
The Oklahoma City loss occurred while the team was announcing a trade for Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Dion Waiters. The Thunder surrendered a protected first-round pick and reserve forward Lance Thomas in a three-team deal that also involved the New York Knicks.
The cold-shooting Thunder (17-18) would have needed a lot more than Waiters on this night to prevent the Warriors from clinching the season series.
Shooting guard Klay Thompson did all the Golden State scoring in an early 13-2 flurry that gave the Warriors a lead they never relinquished en route to their 12th consecutive home victory.
The Warriors (27-5) converted 15 3-pointers and shot 46.6 percent overall, but their defense was as responsible as anything for the fourth consecutive win to start their current six-game homestand.
Durant, who had scorched the Warriors for 30 points in the first half of a Dec. 18 matchup before injuring his ankle, went just 3-for-16 this time. Thanks to 7-of-11 foul shooting, he finished with 14 points to go with 10 rebounds.
Westbrook led the Thunder with 22 points, but it took him 21 shots to get there. He misfired 16 times, and like Durant, he did much of his scoring from the free-throw line (11-for-14).
Small forward Harrison Barnes was a perfect 5-for-5 from 3-point range and totaled 23 points for the Warriors, who have a 25-point average margin of victory in the four wins on their current homestand.
Point guard Stephen Curry contributed 19 points, nine rebounds and six assists to the win, connecting on his 999th career 3-pointer along the way.
Thompson (3-for-5) and power forward Draymond Green (3-for-7) added to the Warriors’ 3-point barrage. Golden State outscored the Thunder 45-15 from beyond the arc.
Thompson finished with 19 points, while Green contributed 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
Backup swingman Anthony Morrow had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder, which was attempting to go over .500 for the first time this season. Oklahoma City caps a three-night, two-game Northern California swing Wednesday night in Sacramento.
Oklahoma City shot 30.6 percent overall and 5-for-28 (17.9 percent) on threes in losing for just the sixth time in 20 games.
Durant (2-for-11) and Westbrook (4-for-14) shot poorly in the first half, which ended with the Warriors up 65-45. Barnes scored 15 points before the break.
The Thunder was never closer than 14 in the second half.
NOTES: PF Lance Thomas, the only player the Thunder will give up in its three-team trade with Cleveland and New York, was in Oakland on Monday night but inactive for the game. The fourth-year pro out of Duke averaged 5.1 points and 3.4 rebounds for the Thunder this season. … Thunder coach Scott Brooks would not comment on the proposed deal before the game. Asked if his roster could use more offensive firepower, he responded, “I like our team. Scoring has never been a problem.” … The last time the Warriors won a season series from the Thunder, the Oklahoma City franchise was known as the Seattle SuperSonics.
