Warriors vs. Thunder: Pregame Primer

vs.

Warriors (9-7, 4-5 road) vs. Thunder (10-3, 7-0 home)

TV: FS Oklahoma
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 1430 AM The Buzz Tulsa)
Time: 7:00 CT

Offensive Rating: Thunder – 105.5 (11th), Warriors – 105.0 (12th)
Defensive Rating: Thunder – 100.5 (4th), Warriors – 101.2 (6th)
Pace: Thunder – 96.7 (7th), Warriors – 96.1 (9th)

Since their wild win over the Thunder a couple weeks ago, the Warriors are 3-4, with two of those wins coming over the Jazz. They’re a team most feel is a prime contender in the league, but have had recent issues. Something to watch, or just a lull in the regular season? Either way, you can be sure the Warriors would very much like to regain the attention of the public with a road win in OKC tonight.

The Warriors have lost four of five, but again, that’s in the eye of the beholder. They’re without Andre Iguodala still, which means they don’t have their best perimeter defender and are missing a dynamic playmaker. It opens the door for serious mismatches, because Mark Jackson now has one player to defend Kevin Durant (Harrison Barnes) and it’s a player KD has torched and put in foul trouble in the past. Iguodala also has been used on Russell Westbrook, but now it’s on Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry to slow him. Not having Iguodala is a big blow overall for the Warriors, but particularly against OKC.

The Thunder are 4-0 on this long homestand and have a lot of the hardest stuff out of the way. I thought 5-1 would be really good, but there’s a real chance of 6-0, especially with the situation the Warriors find themselves in. Can’t let your guard down.

Golden State coming in: Lost to the Mavs on Wednesday

Three Big Things

1. No “oh shit moments.” KD at shootaround today: We can’t have what we call ‘oh shit moments,’ excuse my language, where a guy is just sitting wide open and they swing it and knock down a 3-pointer.”

2. Westbrookin. Russell Westbrook doesn’t necessarily need a good game, but it would certainly help.

3. Insert third thing here. Full disclosure: I thought I posted this primer like two hours ago, but just opened my laptop and saw it sitting here, unfinished. Whoopies.

Tip at 7:00 CT. Go Black Friday Thunder.