Thunder 128-109 Warriors (17 Nov, 2023) Game Recap

SAN FRANCISCO — Even after hitting nearly 60 percent of its three-pointers, the Oklahoma City Thunder were just as happy with the way they moved the ball around the court as they recorded 31 assists.

“You can’t expect to shoot the ball like that every night,” Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said. “It obviously comes and goes. That’s why we emphasize everything we can control.

Isaiah Joe was 7 of 7 from 3-point range and scored a season-high 23 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 24 points and seven assists and the Thunder sent the Golden State Warriors to their fifth straight loss with a win from 128-109. Thursday evening.

“By the time this one happened,” Joe said of his final two 3-pointers, “it was like shooting in an ocean.”

Josh Giddey added 19 points and rookie Chet Holmgren had 13 points and 10 rebounds in his fourth double-double to help propel Oklahoma City to its fifth win in six games. The Thunder were 19 of 32 (59.4%) from behind the arc.

“They spread you out, they have shooters everywhere and they have a lot of size positionally, their guards, between Shai, Giddey and (Jalen) Williams,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. “The team is really well put together, well coached, and they hammered us tonight.”

The Thunder had won just one of their last 11 games against the Warriors dating back to 2020-21. But Oklahoma City was firmly in control against a short-handed Golden State team that dwindled as the night wore on.

Warriors guard Stephen Curry (right knee soreness) and forward Draymond Green (five-game suspension) were unavailable, and guard Gary Payton II exited with a sprained left ankle in the second quarter. X-rays of Payton’s ankle came back negative, the team announced.

Missing their leading scorer for a second straight game, the Warriors fell to 1-5 at Chase Center this season.

Green’s absence was perhaps most felt on defense, as Oklahoma City took a 39-24 lead after the first quarter. Golden State got within a point of the lead in the third but was ultimately outscored 34-24 in the fourth.

Jonathan Kuminga led Golden State with 21 points, starting in place of Green. He was one of seven Warriors to score in double figures, but Klay Thompson was held to five points and just 1 of 10 from the field.

The Warriors tried to stay in the game by grabbing 20 offensive rebounds, leading to a 27-6 advantage in second-chance points.

“To their credit, they did a good job working on the glass,” Holmgren said. “We have to come back and be better for it on Saturday.”

Forward Gui Santos, Golden State’s 2022 second-round pick, made his NBA debut in the fourth quarter, playing four minutes and grabbing three rebounds. Santos is the third Brazilian-born player to appear in a game for the Warriors.

FOLLOWING

The Thunder and Warriors will meet Saturday night at Chase Center.

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