The Oklahoma City Thunder shocked everyone when they stole a game in Oakland. Now the Golden State Warriors need to do the same on the road if they want to add a ring to their record-breaking 73-win season. Join The Roar from 10:00am (AEST) for live scores and coverage.
The Warriors looked like their regular-season selves again in Game 2. Their three-point shooting was back up to 46 per cent, up from 36 per cent in Game 1. They made the extra pass, found wide open shots and knocked them down.
They even out rebounded the Thunder (45-36), an area in which many thought OKC would have an advantage over Golden State.
Small ball might be the flavour of the month in the NBA, and nobody does it better than the Warriors, but height will always be valuable in basketball.
In Steven Adams, Serge Ibaka and Enes Kanter, the Thunder just might have the best big man rotation in the NBA. They will need every inch of them to win today.
OKC not only have to clean the boards, but set strong screens, hit their open shots and make life difficult for any Warrior who dares enter the paint.
Kevin Durant shot the ball brilliantly last game and OKC will need the same from him this time, but even more important will be the play of Russell Westbrook.
Westbrook might just have overtaken Durant as the Thunder’s most valuable player, and after an off shooting night in Game 2 he needs to be aggressive from the outset of this one.
He is also crucial defensively; Westbrook’s length and athleticism mean he matches up with Stephen Curry about as well as anyone can.
The two star guards were matched up on 28 Golden State offensive plays in Game 2, and on those Curry only managed five points – his other 23 came against different defenders. Westbrook makes a difference.
Golden State really just need to repeat their Game 2 performance. They will get open looks with their exemplary passing and they need to knock them down.
Oklahoma City need to run the Warriors off the three-point line and force them to attack the rim, where Adams and Ibaka will be eagerly awaiting.
Even then Golden State just have so many options. Any number of guys can get hot for a few plays, a quarter, even a whole game, and any defence will struggle with that.
OKC will not be daunted, though. They saw off the Spurs in the last round, who also had a historically great regular season.
The Thunder have one of the best home-court advantages in the league – they have only lost 11 games at home so far this season (regular season and playoffs).
Prediction
OKC are the real deal. They will be boosted being at home and know the areas they need to improve after Game 2.
Thunder by 9
So will the Oklahoma City Thunder take a 2-1 series lead in this game? Or will the Golden State Warriors steal back home court advantage? Join The Roar at 10:00am to follow all of the action with our live blog.
Brian
Guest
He should get a game suspension and if GSW are as great as everyone says they are they will come back from 1-3
Elliot Williams
Roar Guru
133 points in regulation - that's an all-star game total. OKC flat out dominated this one the outrebounded the Warriors 52-38. That was important because it meant that GSW couldn't help themselves with easy put backs when their shots weren't falling and it allowed OKC (particularly Westbrook) to get out and run. They ran the transition so much better than GSW who are renowned for their pace. They defended their paint with vigour and they got to the free throw line all night shooting 33-37 there. Westbrook and Durant led them valiantly but good shooting from Ibaka, Roberson and Waiters helped, plus Adams' hustle. Warriors shot poorly and looked frazzled after OKC went on a run. They made silly mistakes and never looked like they were coming back. We have another game in OKC before heading back to Oakland - if the Thunder win the next game they will be hard to keep from the finals. See you on Wednesday for the next one! FINAL SCORE OKC - 133 GSW - 105
Nate
Guest
So game 4 comes down to whether the NBA has the balls to suspend Draymond. Also, whether Draymond kicks the NBA in said balls.
Elliot Williams
Roar Guru
OKC shooting some ugly shots - just had an airball three - don't slide at the end - keep the momentum going for next game OKC - 129 GSW - 99 Q4 2:31
Elliot Williams
Roar Guru
Warriors aren't going to come back and win this but they are eating into the lead and OKC's bench need to pick up - they want to avoid at all costs the starters having to come back in and Donovan wants to be able to know he can trust his bench
Elliot Williams
Roar Guru
Barbosa with a three OKC - 125 GSW - 96 Q4 4:40
Elliot Williams
Roar Guru
Mo Speights with the offensive board and put back OKC - 125 GSW - 93 Q4 5:06
Elliot Williams
Roar Guru
OKC have six blocks to the Warriors' one - they've guarded their paint much more effectively
Elliot Williams
Roar Guru
Harrison Barnes with a long two OKC - 123 GSW - 89 Q4 6:26
Elliot Williams
Roar Guru
OKC should be running everything through Kanter right now - Warriors bench has no one that can stop him in the post
Elliot Williams
Roar Guru
Yeah I'm rooting for the Thunder to get through. Westbrook and Durant get another shot at Lebron. Kyrie might find it tough against Westbrook and can James run the team and try and stop Durant - Love won't do anything defensively. But this series is far from over so we will wait and see
Elliot Williams
Roar Guru
Yeah you would think with that precedent he should but you never know with sports tribunals - weird stuff happens there
Elliot Williams
Roar Guru
Warriors open 4th with a three and OKC miss some defensive rotations so Donovan wants a timeout OKC - 117 GSW - 83 Q4 10:36
josh
Roar Rookie
Cavs v Thunder Finals... would be interesting.
Nate
Guest
So is Green going to miss the next game? You would think so considering Jones got a game off for a shot that was nowhere near as bad.
Elliot Williams
Roar Guru
Durant just took on the Warriors and won - dribbled to the elbow and just let it fly - bad defence admittedly and we earch the end of the third OKC - 117 GSW - 80 Q3 END
Elliot Williams
Roar Guru
Livingston with a push shot OKC - 113 GSW - 76 Q3 34.6
Nick Crawford
Guest
How does this GSW team compare to the Lakers of the noughties?
Elliot Williams
Roar Guru
Westbrook going to town now - up to 30 points and Warriors cannot stop him OKC - 113 GSW - 72 Q3 1:04
Elliot Williams
Roar Guru
Festus Ezeli with a man's play and a put back dunk OKC - 109 GSW - 72 Q3 1:42