Warriors vs. Thunder: Game 6 Pregame Primer

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Western Conference Finals (Best 4 of 7)

Warriors (10-5, 2-4 road) vs. Thunder (11-5, 6-2 home)

TV: TNT
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 1300 AM The Buzz Tulsa)
Time: 8:00 PM CST

Thunder leads series 3-2

Playoff Team Comparisons (per NBA.com/Stats – out of 16 teams)

• Offensive Rating: Thunder – 109.8 (3rd), Warriors – 110.1 (2nd)
  Defensive Rating: Thunder – 102.7 (8th), Warriors – 101.3 (5th)

Pressure can be a very fluid thing. Forty-eight hours ago, all the pressure was on the Golden State Warriors to save their season of all seasons on their home floor. Once that was accomplished with their 120-111 victory, the pressure instantly shifted to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Lose Game 6 and all the momentum you garnered in blowing out the Warriors in Games 3 and 4 goes out the window. Instead of capitalizing on the two opportunities to earn a return trip to the NBA Finals that has alluded the team for four years, the Thunder would instead have to travel back to Oakland for a final deciding game. Everyone knows what’s at stake. A lengthy soliloquy is not needed.

The Thunder have worked all year for the ability to say the following statement: “Take care of business at home, and you move on.” What more could a team ask for? The Warriors busted their hump all year not just for the wins record, but also for the right to have home court advantage throughout the playoffs. But the Thunder threw a monkey wrench in that with their Game 1 victory in Oakland and then held court in Games 3 and 4 in Oklahoma City. This is what it comes down to. This is what you’ve worked so hard in this series for. This is what home court advantage is supposed to be.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook couldn’t have asked for a better situation. Serge Ibaka, Steven Adams, Andre Roberson, and Dion Waiters get a close out game in the friendly confines of the ‘Peake. The Loud City crazies screaming at the top of their lungs, booing anything blue and gold or gray and black (referee attire). I don’t care how well Stephen Curry looked in Game 5. I don’t care that Andrew Bogut outplayed Steven Adams that one time. I only care about one thing….and that’s notching the 23rd letter of the alphabet in this game.

This is the time of our lives. I don’t feel like I need to do a “3 Big Things” section tonight. Today, I’m putting my objective media glasses away. Today, I’m full on Thundering UP! Tonight, we celebrate a trip to Cleveland! Let’s Go!!!!!