The Oklahoma City Thunder (42-19) are in need of a major bounce-back performance after blowing a 17-point fourth-quarter lead in a 103-98 loss to the Clippers on Wednesday night, but now face a Golden State Warriors team (54-5) that has beaten them five of the last six times they played - the last of which came when OKC blew another big lead late in the game. Golden State is also trying to tie a NBA record for most consecutive home wins in the regular season (44).
Who will come out on top in the next chapter of this epic Western Conference rivalry? Here's our preview and prediction for Warriors vs. Thunder.
Game Info:
When: 10:30 PM EST
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
TV: TNT
Spread: Warriors by 7
O/U: 228
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What They're Saying About The Oklahoma City Thunder:
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Keys To The Game:
The biggest key to the game will be Stephen Curry's availability for tonight's game as he's recovering from an ankle injury he suffered in Saturday's win over the Thunder. He's listed as questionable after missing Tuesday's game against the Hawks, and the team won't know if he's ready to play until pre-game warmups. If he doesn't play, suddenly the Thunder have a major advantage.
Another big factor from Oklahoma City's perspective is to see how much energy they play with. They seem to be in disarry after blowing that big lead to the Clippers last night, and with this being their second game in a row, they may come out a little flat. If that happens, they have no chance to win this game.
Prediction: Warriors win 110-102
I think Oklahoma City will come out and play energized, hoping to get some sort of momentum and edge back after their recent 2-5 streak. However, they are playing in the second night of a back-to-back and are likely to show tired legs in the second half. Plus, Golden State is on an absolutely roll, and they simply don't lose at home. They'll find a way to get it done.