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Recap: Same problems push Warriors to the brink

Turnovers, fouls, and rebounding issues plagued the Warriors in similar ways to the third game of the series. The Warriors haven't looked comfortable for most of the series, and still have no answer to Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, losing 118-94. But most importantly, Stephen Curry isn't whole.

Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

I'll keep this recap short.

The Thunder are still killing the Warriors on the glass and racking up fouls at the rim.  Draymond Green, the foundation of the Warriors' unique small ball style, is playing the worst he's played all season.Secondary role players like Andre Roberson and Dion Waiters are vastly outperforming the likes of Harrison Barnes and Andre Iguodala.  The turnovers and lack of clean offense by the Warriors result in transition opportunities for the Thunder that have destroyed momentum and morale.

But the problem that plagues the Warriors by far the most is that Stephen Curry is human.

It's not reasonable to expect him at 100%, but nobody saw this coming after his Game 2 explosion.  When Steph can't spread the defenses to the perimeter, finish in the lane, or keep control of the ball, the Warriors are fundamentally flawed.  Steph Curry isn't breaking down teams in the pick and roll, is not getting open off of screens, and is missing free throws, open threes, and layups.  Warriors fans can't help but feel terrible for the MVP.

It's difficult to repeat as NBA champions.  Injuries and bad play have hit the Warriors at the worst possible time, and Steve Kerr and the coaching staff don't seem to have an answer for the size and athleticism of the Thunder scorers and bigs. The Thunder's defense has suddenly become a monster. This team really did explode out of nowhere.

It's not impossible to win three in a row against this team.  If the Warriors win big at home in Game 5, it could carry over into Game 6.  Klay Thompson notably played very well, but he'll need help. This is a different beast than the Warriors have ever seen before, and they'll need drastic changes to win.

One game at a time. The Warriors have no choice but to fight.

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