Oklahoma Metropolis dealt shorthanded Golden State a fifth straight NBA defeat Thursday, the Warriors unable to comprise the explosive younger Thunder facet within the absence of Stephen Curry and Draymond Inexperienced.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 factors to guide the Thunder and Isaiah Joe added 23 off the bench as six Thunder gamers scored in double figures in a convincing 128-109 victory.
That included Aussie Josh Giddey, who discovered his taking pictures vary from deep to hit 3/3 triples – and even had a commentator label him the “Aussie murderer”.
Giddey just isn’t recognized for his three-point taking pictures, having made none of his six makes an attempt within the final 5 video games and simply 4 of 21 for the season (19 per cent) earlier than as we speak.
He completed with 19 factors, six rebounds, an help and two steals.
Giddey stated: “We’ve received loads of guys can do loads of issues and after we’re enjoying the way in which we did tonight, it’s loads of enjoyable. Everybody’s concerned … That’s one of the simplest ways to play.”
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The Warriors had seven gamers rating in double figures, with Jonathan Kuminga main the way in which with 21 factors and 6 rebounds.
However sharpshooter Klay Thompson made simply certainly one of his 11 pictures from the ground on the way in which to 5 factors.
Warriors star Curry was once more sidelined with a difficult knee whereas Inexperienced was serving the primary recreation of his five-game suspension for grabbing Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert across the neck throughout a loss to the Timberwolves on Tuesday.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr informed reporters earlier than the sport that Inexperienced, who was ejected after throwing an arm round Gobert’s neck and dragging him throughout the courtroom, “positively took it too far.”
Kerr stated he had no objection to Inexperienced reacting to Gobert’s contact with Golden State’s Thompson — after Thompson tangled with Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels — however he stated Inexperienced crossed a line.
“He held on for six, seven seconds. It was a horrible visible for the league, for Draymond, for everyone,” Kerr stated. “Draymond was fallacious, he is aware of that, it’s a nasty look. The 5 video games is deserved. We transfer ahead.”
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However with out Inexperienced the Warriors defence was clearly missing in opposition to a younger, hungry Thunder workforce.
Joe linked on seven of seven makes an attempt from three-point vary on the way in which to his season excessive in scoring.
Josh Giddey added 19 factors, rookie Chet Holmgren chipped in 13 factors and 10 rebounds in his fourth profession double-double and the Thunder notched their fifth win in six video games.
Oklahoma Metropolis led by as many as 15 factors within the first quarter. Golden State trailed by 9 coming into the fourth, when the Thunder outscored them 34-24 to roll to victory.
Butler brings seventh straight Warmth win | 00:52
‘WHATEVER IT TAKES’: BUTLER GOES OFF
Within the day’s solely different recreation, Jimmy Butler scored 36 factors to assist the Miami Warmth shake off a sluggish begin and beat the Brooklyn Nets 122-115, pushing their profitable streak to seven video games.
The Warmth, with Tyler Herro nonetheless sidelined by harm, missed 10 of their first 11 pictures, however the Nets couldn’t construct a lead of greater than six factors within the first quarter.
By halftime the Warmth had been up 60-52, and Butler scored 18 within the third quarter as Miami pushed their result in double digits, by no means trailing within the second half.
Butler linked on 12 of 19 pictures from the sphere and added 5 rebounds with three assists and three blocked pictures.
“No matter it takes to win,” Butler stated. “I believe we did a superb job within the second half of guarding. I used to be very, very, very happy with us for that.
“I don’t suppose we rebounded as properly within the fourth quarter, however total we performed some nice basketball.
Duncan Robinson scored 26 factors for Miami and Bam Adebayo chipped in 20. Mikal Bridges and Lonnie Walker IV scored 23 factors apiece for the Nets, whose November 1 victory over final yr’s Jap Convention champions had pushed the Warmth to 1-4.
Miami haven’t dropped a recreation since and have climbed to 3rd place within the East, 1.5 video games behind leaders Boston.