The core conflict between the two teams, Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors from National Basketball Association has to be one of the most fascinating in the history of the League. This is an interesting game full of pleasant shocks, feelings and the spirit of willingness to win. Here there is a very energetic and young team Oklahoma City Thunder and there is another older and stable yet efficient scoring brigade in the form of Golden State Warriors. Most such matches typically come with an added dimension of meaning. Here below is a brief synopsis of the rivalry in question.
The Thunder: A Team on the Rise
The Oklahoma City Thunder have emerged as a prospecting team with a bright outlook for the years to come. They have managed to bounce back after most of the star players like Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook left the team. But, through smart bartering, and nurturing of players friendly centered culture focused on toughness, the Thunder have gradually progressed to the level of being able to beat any team on any night. Central to their dramatic rejuvenation is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The growing 6-foot-6 guard, over the seasons, has made himself a well known two-way player with great scoring efficiency and versatility. He is even more dangerous due to his ability to attack the rim, get foul called on him, and the fact that he can shoot turnaround jumpers from the free throw area. Alongside him is Jones Giddey, a point guard who stands at 6-foot-8 and plays a different position. Josh is a great passer, which makes the offense flow better and also makes him a good rebounder and playmaker on defense. The Thunder also enjoy a very strong basis of defense. Given an abundance of young athletic players like Jalen Williams and Aleksej Pokuševski, the Thunder has the ability to defend several positions and cause chaos on the other end of the court. It's their desire to play team defense, switch, and challenge shots that makes them very sound in terms of their defensive structure.
The Warriors: Masters of the Three-Point Revolution
“…If we go beyond the statistics, it becomes clear that the franchise history of NBA can boast of one more extraordinary NBA team – the Golden State Warriors, whose uniformed player, by all means, can be regarded as the biggest basket shooter in history – Stephen Curry. The small ball strategy that GSW has put into its game and which nincompoops call small ball offence but rather is a focus on space and ball pace revitalized the game of basketball and with the team’s love for the three point shot, it has been rated among the best scoring teams in the league.
In addition, Klay Thompson, the fellow All Star of Curry, completes the terrifying offensive machine of the Golden state team. Whenever the two sharpshooters are in a cohesive rhythm, the Warriors manage to turn the boring back and forth contest into an offensive master piece of scoring fireworks. Furthermore, Curry is by far one of the most defended players because of the quickness of his release, the ability to shoot the three from a distance, and a quick pull up after dribble. Moreover, Thompson’s deadly catch n shoot remains one of the greatest tools available for use in the game today. Also, when you combine playmaking and leadership skills with defensive versatility like that of Draymond Green, then that basically outlines the picture of a team aiming for a championship.
The difference with the warriors is that they believe in moving. Be it Off the ball screens for Curry and Thompson or even Draymond Green at the high post, there is always a place for everyone in the system of Golden State. The fast movement and quick passes often lead to either an open three-point shot or a cut to the basket.
The Warriors’ defense has been looking good too, if not great, especially with Green playing. He is versatile in that he can defend almost every position, and he has a high defensive IQ that enables him to smartly organize the Warriors’ defense. This is complemented by other players such as Kevon Looney and Andrew Wiggins who give them rebounding and wing defense respectively, which is beneficial when facing fast-paced transition teams.”
The Key Matchup
Perhaps the most expected contention whenever Oklahoma City meets Golden State is how the former try to limit the latter's scoring ability while trying to exploit their youth and athleticism in defense. The Thunder's length and switching defense may disrupt the Warriors’ rhythm somewhat but the one flaw they have is that of Curry, who hits shots from every part of the floor without breaking a sweat. Conversely, the Thunder will also look forward to exploiting the slow-building Warrior offensive thanks to Gilgeous-Alexander and Giddey. The only caveat is that the Warriors are very aggressive on offense but at given moments, can be very complacent on defense, particularly when encountering explosive hyperathletic players that are driving to the basket. The Thunder have the right players to go to the basket against the Warriors, however, they will need to hit some shots from the perimeter or they will become overwhelmed by the Golden State juggernaut offensively. One of the interesting things about this contest is the battle of the teams in terms of the pace of play. The Thunder tend to play at a faster pace in that they seek to run the offense as a fast-break offense, with much emphasis being put on pushing the ball into play. The Warriors however though quick can still shoot well and employ ball control through effective passing and three-point shooting: a lot of the time controlling the tempo. The team that will be able to dictate the place of play will get an upper hand.
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