A tough start in Houston resulted in a loss for the Thunder on Thursday night, but Head Coach Scott Brooks’ club doesn’t have long to linger on it.
The Thunder turns around to play the Golden State Warriors tonight at Chesapeake Energy Arena, in another tough Western Conference battle. For the fourth time this season those two teams will square off, and the Thunder must take the lessons it learned in Houston with regards to first quarter urgency and three-point defense into tonight’s game.
“We can get this bad taste out of our mouth and play better,” Brooks said. “We have to start the game off well, because (Golden State) is another high powered offensive team that shoots a lot of threes… We need all five guys to be locked in with a sense of urgency.”
Bouncing back has always been in the Thunder’s nature, and with the home crowd in Loud City behind them, leaders like Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook will hope to ensure the team comes out with maximum effort and energy not just to start the contest, but for all 48 minutes.
Every game between the Thunder and the Warriors seems to be an exhibition in offensive firepower. It’s the team who defends the best for the longest stretches who will have the best chance to win.
While its high-powered offense will keep the scoreboard moving, it will be up to the Thunder’s five-man defensive shell to keep Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and the rest of the Warriors in check, out of transition and off of the three-point line.
If the Thunder can force Golden State to play in the half court and take contested shots throughout the night, it will have done the best possible job it can, and give itself a chance to snag a win late in the fourth quarter.
“They have shooting, three-point shooters, guys who can attack, guys who make plays for one another,” Brooks said. “Defensively they’re solid. It’ll be a difficult game but we’re up for the challenge”
“We have to have multiple defenders on the court and that’s what makes us a good team defensively,” Brooks said. “You have to have five guys committed to the defensive plan and we’ve done that.”
Broadcast Information
Tip-off: 7:00 p.m. CT
Television: Fox Sports Oklahoma
Radio: Thunder Radio Network, WWLS the Sports Animal