Category: NBA

Green just can’t stay out of trouble; Faces second suspension and is out indefinitely over Nurkic punch

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Golden State Warriors guard Draymond Green (23) asks the official “who me” when hit with a flagrant 2 foul call after hitting Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic (on floor face down) in the face at the Footprint Center in Phoenix on Tue Dec 12, 2023 (USA Today photo)

By Barbara Mason and Jerry Feitelberg

The NBA has indefinitely suspended Golden State Warrior guard Draymond Green for his spinning punch to Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic on Tuesday night. Green was trying to get open on an inbound play when he spun around and hit Nurkic. Nurkic was behind Green and landed a punch to his face that landed him on the ground. Green was immediately ejected for a flagrant 2 foul.

This was Green’s third ejection of this season and his second suspension. His first suspension came when he had his hand and arm around the neck in a headlock of the Minnesota Timberwolves Rudy Gobert on Nov 14th which earned him a five game suspension.

Green said at the time of the first suspension that he had no regrets “I’ll come to a teammate’s defense any time that I’m in a position to come to a teammate’s defense. What matters to me is how the people that I care about feel, first and foremost.”

On this second suspension during the post game presser at the Footprint Center in Phoenix on Tuesday Green apologized and said unlike previous suspensions and altercations he admitted making a mistake. He explained “I thought he was pulling my hip, and I was swinging a way to sell the call, and [I] made contact with him,” Green said. “As you know, I’m not one to apologize for things I meant to do, but I do apologize to Jusuf (Nurkic) because I didn’t intend to hit him.”

Accident or no accident Green will be suspended indefinitely pending his meeting with the NBA. Green is meeting with Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy to discuss the suspension. Nurkic was questioning what is wrong with Green and that he needs some kind of help. “What’s going on with him? I don’t know. Personally, I feel like that brother needs help,” Nurkic said. “I’m glad he didn’t try to choke me. At the same time, it ain’t nothing to do with basketball.”

Barbara Mason and Jerry Feitelberg are Golden State Warriors beat writers for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Warriors Lose to Phoenix Suns in Final Minute 119-116; Golden State loses six of last ten games

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Golden State Warriors guard Draymond Green (23) hits the Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic (28) in the face leading to Green’s ejection for a flagrant 2 foul. Green spun around and hit Nurkic in the face knocking Nurkic to the floor. (Larry Brown Sports till photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Phoenix Suns (13-10) beat the Golden State Warriors (10-13) for the third time this season 119-116. The starters for the Warriors gave Stephen Curry no help at all. Draymond Green was once again ejected and the team had to carry on without him. As in their last game, they had a chance to tie up this game and failed. The Warrior bench and Curry were the only positives coming out of this game. 

Game recap: While the Warriors did not have a great start in the first quarter of the game, they did have a good finish. After the first 12 minutes of play this game was tied at 25. Bradley Beal was back in the lineup for the Suns and hit a three in his first possession. He only played six minutes in the quarter. The Warriors protected the ball well in the first quarter with only four turnovers so some nice improvement protecting the ball.

The Warriors started rolling in the second quarter hitting shot after shot building a 40-27 lead at 7:53. They let the game turn around for the Suns with under four minutes left in the quarter. Phoenix had battled back going on a 16 to 5 run and trailed by two points 45-43.

 The Warriors had let the Suns back into the game and given up a sizable lead. With under two minutes left in the half the game was tied at 50. This game could not have been closer with Golden State holding a 56-53 lead after two quarters.

Curry had scored 16 points for Golden State and Devon Booker was the high for the Suns with 13 points. This game had started out fairly sloppy for both teams but picked up in the second quarter. Both teams had six turnovers in the first half of play.

With 8:23 left on the clock in the third quarter Green was charged with a flagrant 2 and ejected from the game. He used excessive force on Jusef Nurkic smacking him in the face and the saga continues as Green left the floor. So once again the Warriors would have to play without the defense that Green provides.

With 4:56 left in the third quarter this game was tied at 73. At 3:53 the Suns took the lead for the first time in the third quarter 77-75. As the clock ran out on the quarter the Suns had a 88-87 lead. They won the quarter 35-31 in a tight game. 

It was the Warrior bench that was keeping Golden State in this game. They had accounted for 54 points through three quarters. Curry was the only starter in double digits with 21. Once again he was carrying the team on his back and needed help from his starters. 

With seven minutes left in regulation it was a one-point game, the Suns clinging to a slim lead. With 3:03 left in the game, the Suns had extended their lead to 109-98. In the closing minute of the game the Suns coughed up the ball several times and Golden State pulled to within three points 115-112. 

The Warriors had gone on a 18-6 run and with 9.4 seconds left in the game they had possession and needed a three-pointer to tie up the game. Curry got a look but missed on a very tough shot. 

It was another tough loss for Golden State as Curry came away with 24 points but got absolutely no help from Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson. The loss of Green in the third quarter was just another blow for the Warriors. 

It was the bench that kept the Warriors in this game finishing with 78 points collectively. The Golden State bench was the story of this game. The Warriors got a handle on the turnovers committing 15.

The fourth quarter was the Devon Booker show as the Suns took this game away. Booker finished with 32 points and Bradley Beal had 16 points in his return. The Warriors did come roaring back but it was just too late. Golden State will now wait and see what the ramifications of the Green ejection will bring about.

Post game notes: Tuesday night the Warriors traveled to Phoenix to take on the Suns. After a very disappointing loss to the OKC Thunder last Friday night 138-136, the Warriors had been gearing up for Tuesday’s game. They cleaned up not only the fouls but the turnovers giving up only four against the Suns. After committing 29 in Friday’s game they did better. Kevin Durant was not on the floor for the Suns out with an ankle, his second straight game however he is expected to play on Wednesday night. Chris Paul was back on the bench for Golden State.

Thursday night the Warriors will take on the Los Angeles Clippers at crypto.com Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM.

 

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Kings Overwhelmed By Clippers 119-99

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The Los Angeles Clippers center Daniel Theis (10) takes a jump shot against the Sacramento Kings center JaVale McGee (00) in first half action at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Tue Dec 12, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Los Angeles (13-10) Clippers routed the Sacramento Kings (13-9) for their fifth straight victory 119-99 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The Clippers convincingly won the first three quarters of play. The Kings did win the fourth quarter 29-20 but it was far too little far too late. Sacramento at one time trailed by over 30 points. They had offensive and defensive letdowns throughout the game.

The Kings have been playing some terrific basketball this season and as they headed down to Los Angeles to take on the Clippers more great play was expected from the Kings. What transpired was totally unexpected.

The Clippers got this game going early winning the opening quarter 32-24 and they never looked back. They continued to pile it on in the second quarter extending their lead to 70-48 at the half. The Clippers continued to expand their lead throughout the first half and the Kings were helpless to do anything about it. Sacramento was trailing by 22 points but had an entire half to do something about it.

The Kings were clearly anything but engaged. They fell short offensively and defensively. De’Aaron Fox and company were quiet on both sides of the ball. Sacramento lost the third quarter 29-22 and the Kings had dug a huge hole making a come-back near to impossible. The Kings were not at all focused and it just came down to one of those games where nothing worked.

Sacramento did win the fourth quarter by the slim margin of 31-29 which did not make much of a dent in this game.

This was a huge disappointment for the Kings. Nothing went right for them in this game. Kawhi Leonard continued the scoring binge he has been on scoring 31 points and Sacramento could not contain him. 

The Kings starters had a quiet night; they were just off. Harrison Barnes came away with two points and one rebound. Kevin Huerter finished with three points. Their bench came away with 48 points collectively scoring almost half of the points in this game. 

Keegan Murray led Sacramento with 17 points and Domantas Sabonis had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Kings superstar D’Aaron Fox finished with 14 points, a quiet night for him. The Kings had won five of their last seven games but just could not get it done tonight. 

Sacramento has had a few games this season that were blowout losses but they weathered those storms and came back stronger. There is no reason that they will not come back after this game as well. Returning to Golden 1 Center is going to look awfully good to these guys. There is truly no place like home.   

The Kings will welcome the OKC Thunder Thursday night getting a six-game home stand underway. They will be looking to put this game behind them and move forward. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Kings’ Record-Breaking Victory 131-118 Sparks Three-Point Success Buzz

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Photo by Mauricio Segura: The Sacramento Kings Trey Lyels slam dunks in the third quarter against the Brooklyn Nets on Mon Dec 11, 2023

By Mauricio Segura

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings lit the beam Monday night with an exhilarating, record-breaking victory of 131-118 over the Brooklyn Nets.

They not only secured the win but also etched a new chapter in their franchise history by setting a remarkable record for 3-pointers—totaling an impressive 25. This achievement also marked the second instance this season where three of their players managed to dish out seven assists or more.

The Kings are currently riding a wave of success, having emerged victorious in 11 of their last 15 games. DeAaron Fox has been at the forefront of this impressive run, showcasing his skills and leadership, hinting at a potential MVP season for the former Wildcat.

Fresh from a dazzling fourth-quarter performance where he scored 23 points over the Phoenix Suns Friday night, Fox continued his stellar play by making significant contributions in the long-range shooting game. Alongside Trey Lyels, the duo combined for an astounding 10 three-pointers. In total, Sacramento demonstrated their prowess by shooting 25 of 45, boasting an impressive 55.6% success rate from beyond the arc.

The Kings dominated the game from start to finish. Despite Nets forward Mikal Bridges breaking through the Kings’ defense with an impressive stat line of 22 points, five assists, and five rebounds, his efforts were not enough to inspire the rest of Brooklyn’s squad against Sacramento’s formidable defense.

While the Nets managed to narrow the gap to four points (71-67) with Cameron Thomas’ three-pointer midway through the third quarter and within seven points (89-74) with six minutes left in the fourth quarter, Sacramento’s relentless barrage of three-pointers allowed them to pull away and secure the final, resounding victory.

Contributions from Domantas Sabonis were instrumental, as he added 15 points, 16 rebounds, and nine assists, further solidifying the Kings’ dominance. This victory marked the Kings’ third consecutive win against the Nets, including a season sweep from the previous year. Keegan Murray also played a crucial role with a scoring output of 24 points, while Malik Monk contributed 21 points and nine assists to seal the Kings’ triumphant night.

The Kings fly down to face the Clippers Tuesday night, but will return on Thursday against the Wizards in what will be the beginning of a six-game home stand.

Mauricio Segura has been a Bay Area sportswriter & photographer for the past 20 years, covering baseball, soccer, football, and basketball. He’s contributed articles for Area Chica Magazine, The Baseball Analyst Quarterly, and various newspapers. He currently publishes an online sports and entertainment website called Golden Bay Times and is the graphics and art Director for the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame.

Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason: Warriors battle the Suns Tuesday night at Footprint Center

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) defends the Oklahoma City Thunder’s guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) at Oklahoma City on Sun Dec 10, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder with 38 points it helped as the Thunder edged the Golden State Warriors 138-136 last Friday.

#2 The Thunder also got scoring help from Jalen Williams with 28 points and Chet Holmgren with 21 points the Thunder defeated the Warriors for the third straight time this season.

#3 This game was in overtime and Warriors guard Stephen Curry scored 10 of his 34 points. Klay Thompson had 22 points and Draymond Green had 12 points.

#4 The Thunder took advantage scoring 35 points off 29 turnovers committed by the Warriors.

#5 Next up for Golden State it’s onto Phoenix against the Suns at Footprint Center on Tuesday night a 7:00pm tip off. The Suns have won six of their last ten games and have lost their last two games.

Join Barbara for the Warriors podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Turnovers Beat Golden State; OKC Thunder Prevail 138-136

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Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) holds the ball as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

By Barbara Mason

In a horrendous display of ineptitude the Golden State Warriors (10-12) came away with 29 turnovers in their matchup with the Oklahoma City (14-7) Thunder Friday night losing 138-136. The team has struggled with ball protection for awhile but Friday night they outdid themselves. Even the 34 points scored by Stephen Curry couldn’t get the job done, although, they did come close.

Friday night the Warriors took on the Thunder . The Warriors had won their last game beating the Portland Trailblazers 110-106 and were looking to establish a winning streak. The Thunder dropped their last game to the Houston Rockets Wednesday by the score of 110-101. Prior to beating the Trailblazers the Warriors lost a heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Clippers 113-112.

The first quarter was all Warriors and the team had a great start to this game leading 28-19 after the opening 12 minutes. The Thunder did win the second quarter 37-34 but Golden State maintained a 62-56 lead going into half time. In the first half, Klay Thompson had shot for 13 points followed by Andrew Wiggins with 12.

In the third quarter, the Thunder turned the game around winning the quarter 33-22 taking an 89-84 lead. OKC was spurred on by the number of turnovers coming from the Warriors. On 29 turnovers, the Thunder scored 35 points.

The Warriors won the final quarter 34-29, but this was only good enough to tie the game. This game would go into overtime with the Thunder prevailing 20-18 in OT and winning the game 138-136.

Despite the 29 turnovers, the Warriors came very close to pulling this game out. Warriors guard Stephen Curry scored 10 of his 34 points in the overtime. When the dust had settled, this game was lost due to poor ball protection.

This was the third loss in a row that the Warriors dropped in their past four matchups with the Thunder this season. Curry did everything he could to will his team to victory scoring 20 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. Golden State just could not overcome the turnovers. They actually had four turnovers in overtime.

The Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 38 points and Jalen Williams had 28 points in this game. OKC is a very young team yet they now reside in second place in the Western Conference standings.

The Warriors will try to turn things around when they travel to Phoenix taking on the Suns Tuesday night. They will need to clean up the turnovers and the fouls which were also problematic in Fridays game. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 7:00 PM and will be aired on TNT.

Despite Slow Start Sacramento Kings Handle Phoenix Suns 114-106

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Sacramento Kings Domantas Sobonis (10) tries to take a shot against the Phoenix Suns Just Nurkic (20) during the first half at the Footprint Center in Phoenix on Fri Dec 8, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (12-8) had a bit of a slow start in the first half of their matchup against the Phoenix Suns (12-10) trailing 59-50. They really got onboard in the second half winning the third quarter 33-12. The final was 114-106 extending Sacramento’s season record to 12-8.

Friday night, the Kings took on Suns at Footprint Center. The Kings come into this game after losing to the New Orleans Pelicans in the quarterfinal game of the NBA In-season tournament 127-117 on Mon Dec 4. The Suns also lost last Tuesday in their quarterfinal game against the Los Angeles Lakers in a close one 106-103. Both teams are looking to get back on the winning track.

Game recap: Both the first and second quarters went in favor of the Suns. The two opening quarters were close but Phoenix had the upper hand. The Suns won the first quarter 26-24 as well as the second quarter 33-26. Phoenix took a 59-50 lead into the locker room at the half. So far it was all Phoenix in the first half.

The Kings turned this game around in the third quarter winning it 33–12 in a blowout and took the lead after three quarters 83-71. Sacramento really got their offense going from the field as well as from downtown.

Both teams were protecting the ball well but the Kings were also rebounding the ball with more success than the Suns. The Kings needed to keep the pressure on the Suns going into the fourth quarter.

These are two evenly matched teams and the final quarter of this game would be a battle. So far in this game, the Sacramento starting roster was not really up to par although there was still one more quarter of basketball to play.

The team would need their clutch player De’Aaron Fox to step up and finish this game. Kevin Huerter played 17 minutes through three quarters but was a disappointing 0-4 from the field. He came off the court with a single point in the game.

The fourth quarter saw Fox start to really heat up. With under six minutes left in the game he had 26 points to his credit. Off the bench the Kings got some great work from Malik Monk with 13 points and Sasha Vezenkov with 14.

With 5:31 left in the game Sacramento had taken a 103-92 lead. The Suns got dangerously close with 4 1/2 minutes left in the game 103-96. The Kings were letting the Suns back into the game. Sacramento took command of this game in the final minutes and left the Suns in the dust.

Fox caught fire in the fourth quarter scoring fifteen points and finishing with 34 points in this game. Domantas Sabonis had 15 points and 17 rebounds. They also got some nice bench work from Vezenkov, Monk and Keon Ellis. This was a solid win for Sacramento against a tough contender.

Next up for the Kings will be the Brooklyn Nets at Golden 1 Center in a close matchup. Tipoff for this game Monday night is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings hoping to comeback after tough loss to Pelicans; Tip off with Suns tonight at Footprint Arena

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The New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum takes a shot against the Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray in the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Mon Dec 4, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

The Sacramento Kings (11-8) were back in action on Monday night. The Kings were set to host the first game of the in-season tournament as they welcomed in the New Orleans Pelicans (12-10). The Kings last played Saturday night as they defeated the Denver Nuggets 123-117.

The Pelicans got lots of help from top scorers Brandon Ingram with 30 points and the Kings defense had double coverage on Zion Williamson which relegated the ball to Ingram.

The Pelicans runner up scorer guard Herb Jones contributed with 23. The Kings would have been pretty much in lock step with the Pelicans if it were for that nine point deficit they had in the second quarter where New Orleans were ahead 34-25.

The Kings play tonight in Footprint Center Arena with a 6:00pm PT tip off. The Suns have won seven of their last ten games.

Join Jeremiah Salmonson for the Kings podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Golden State Warriors podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Curry to the rescue again leads with 31 pts

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) gets a rebound against the Portland Trail Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon (11) at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Wed Dec 6, 2023 (AP News photo)

On Golden State Warriors podcast with Jerry Feitelberg:

#1 Jerry, if it wasn’t for the Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry who led with 31 points. The Warriors (10-6) would have had a struggle against the Portland Trail Blazers (6-14) to try and get that win if it wasn’t for Curry’s offensive prowess last night.

#2 Jerry also how crucial Jonathan Kuminga and Dario Saric both scoring 13 points in a game where every basket counted in the Warriors just getting by the Trial Blazers 110-106.

#3 The Portland Trail Blazers Anfernee Simons was the top scorer with 28 points and was followed up with Shaedon Sharpe with 26 points.

#4 Jerry did the 10-34 long range shots help Golden State in this one. In Warrior wins this season the long shots have helped clinch some of those games.

#5 The Warriors face the Oklahoma City Thunder (13-7) Fri Dec 8th in OKC. The Thunder have won seven of their last ten games. The Warriors have won four of their last ten and have struggled in some of those close games. How do you see this match up on Friday night.

Join Jerry for the Warriors podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Warriors outlast Trail Blazers 110-106; Golden State’s Curry does the heavy lifting with 31 points

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Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (1) drives on the Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney (left) in the first half at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Wed Dec 6, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Warriors, having lost two games by one point in the last three played, wanted to get back on the winning track against the rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers traded away their star point guard, Damion Lillard, to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Blazers traded Josef Nurkic to the Phoenix Suns for DeAndre Ayton. The Blazers got Malcolm Brogdon from the Boston Celtics in the trade for Jrue Holiday. The Blazers came to town with a record of 6-13. Portland had won three in a row, and most games played were very close.

The Warriors could not take this team lightly. The Blazers led the league, causing their opponents to commit turnovers. One of the problems the Warriors have this season is committing too many turnovers. The Warriors defeated the Blazers by four points 110-106 on Wednesday night at the Chase Center.

The Blazers’ head coach, Chauncy Billips, had his team playing an aggressive defense. The young Blazers were all over the Warriors’ top three shooters for most of the game. The Blazers led for the entire first half. The Blazers held Klay Thompson to two points in the first half. Andrew Wiggins tallied five.

The Warriors did not have a single player in double figures in the first half. Warriors guard Stephen Curry and Moses Moody paced the Warriors with nine apiece. The Warriors made just two threes in 16 tries. The Blazers knocked down nine.

The Blazers won the first quarter, 26-22, and the second quarter, 29-26, to finish the first half with a seven-point advantage, 55-48. Shaedon Sharpe led the Blazers with 14. Anfernee Simons had 11, and Duop Reath added 10. The Blazers caused the Warriors to turnover the ball ten times in the first half.

Things did not go well for the Warriors to start the third period. The Blazers had the Warriors totally out of rhythm. Whenever the Warriors tried to close the gap, Portland answered the challenge. The Blazers increased the lead to 11, 77-66.

At this point in the game, Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr, decided to insert Jonathan Kuminga. Kuminga was the spark the Warriors needed. The Warriors went on a 10-0 run to make it a one-point game, 77-76. Curry scored eight of the ten points.

Kunimga made a steal and a dunk for the other two. Portland regained their composure and finished the third quarter with a four-point lead, 86-82. 

Kuminga made the first basket of the fourth quarter. The Warriors scored the next basket to tie the game at 86. Portland knocked down a three, but Saric connected on a three to tie the game at 89. Portland regrouped and went ahead 98-92.

Thompson made his only three of the night to bring the Warriors within three, 98-95. The Warriors went ahead 103-100 on a basket by Thompson. Kuminga scored on a lob from Draymond Green to give the Warriors a four-point lead 105-101.

The Blazers made a three to make it 105-104. Curry knocked down a three with nine seconds left. The Blazers made it 108-106. With 2.2 seconds left, the Blazer had a foul to give.

The Warriors then had to inbound the ball from the far end of the court. They then fouled Thompson. Thompson made both free throws to seal the win for the Warriors.

Game Notes: With the win, the Warriors are now 10-11 for the year. The Blazers drop to 6-14.

The Warriors defense was much better in the second half. They won the third quarter 34-31 and the fourth quarter 28-20. 

Curry paced the Warriors attack with 31 points, 22 coming in the second half. Curry made five threes in 13 tries. Green almost had a triple-double. Green had ten points, ten rebounds, and nine rebounds. Thompson has 11 and made one three. Wiggins finished with nine. The Warrior bench outscored the Blazer bench 43-36.

Kuminga and Saric each had 13, and Moody had 12. 

The Warrior’s next opponent will be the Oklahoma City Thunder in Oklahoma City. It will be the fourth meeting of the season for the teams. The Thunder are 2-1 against the Warriors. The game will start at 5 p.m.