clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Recap: Warriors crush Thunder 112-80 in high-intensity affair

Behind 28 points from Kevin Durant, Golden State prevailed in a game with a playoff atmosphere.

By Brady Klopfer
NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday night’s highly-anticipated game between the Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder started out very weird. The Warriors opened the game with strong defense, but simply could not get a rebound.

Steven Adams and Russell Westbrook gobbled up everything in sight, and the Thunder stayed in the game despite seemingly never making a shot. It was weird.

Towards the end of the first half, the Warriors started to figure things out. And Kevin Durant absolutely exploded.

But it was the third quarter where the game changed. The first few minutes were rough, as new starting center JaVale McGee got worked by Adams. He was quickly replaced by Zaza Pachulia, and the game shifted.

By mid-third, Golden State started clicking.

By the end of the third, they had gone ballistic, with Durant and Stephen Curry hitting big shots, Draymond Green locking things down, and Nick Young playing out of his mind.

At one point, Young scored 11 straight Warriors points, including the third-quarter clincher:

And just like that, behind a 31-7 run, the game was over. A game that was having constant lead changes in the third quarter, was deep in the 20s early in the fourth. And when all was said and done, the Dubs avenged two big losses earlier in the year, with a 112-80 victory.

Durant finished with 28 points, and Curry with 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists, but it was the defense that made the difference. Golden state held Westbrook to 15 points on 4-15 shooting, Carmelo Anthony to 14 points on 6-17 shooting, and Paul George to 5 points on 1-14 shooting. Yes, you read that correctly.

It felt like a playoff game, with high-energy play, technical fouls, and players nearly coming to blows. And if these two teams do meet in the playoffs, well . . . the result will probably be similar.

Poll

Who was your Warrior Wonder in the rout of the Thunder?

This poll is closed

  • 25%
    Steph Curry
    (279 votes)
  • 17%
    Kevin Durant
    (191 votes)
  • 8%
    Draymond Green
    (96 votes)
  • 3%
    Klay Thompson
    (36 votes)
  • 2%
    JaVale McGee
    (26 votes)
  • 3%
    Zaza Pachulia
    (35 votes)
  • 3%
    Andre Iguodala
    (36 votes)
  • 34%
    Nick Young
    (366 votes)
  • 0%
    David West
    (5 votes)
  • 0%
    Shaun Livingston
    (6 votes)
1076 votes total Vote Now

More From Golden State Of Mind

Sign up for the newsletter Sign up for the Golden State of Mind Daily Roundup newsletter!

A daily roundup of Golden State Warriors news from Golden State of Mind