This is the Hangover. We get basketball-wasted all the time. Yes, we recap the NBA every night in our own way.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images.)
#1 GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 108 @ #3 OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER 101
WEST Finals – Game 6 – Series is TIED, 3-3
This is why they are the champs. The Warriors refuse to roll over even after taking haymakers from the Thunder.
The all-stars struggled at the beginning of the game. The nervous levels were probably at around “I’m going to my first school dance” stage. But the Thunder kept the ball moving and with Dion Waiters, Enes Kanter, and Andre Roberson making big buckets, they got up by 13.
Klay Thompson made back-to-back threes to quickly slice the lead. Stephen Curry also made one while Harrison Barnes made a traditional three-point play. But the Thunder held on to the lead and had a five-point cushion by halftime. The way the Warriors were playing, though, they probably should’ve been down by double digits.
Klay’s shooting went from room temperature to desert heat as he made consecutive threes yet again. A Curry three would give the Warriors the lead early in the third. But the Thunder persevered despite all their three-point misses (this would loom HUGE at the end) and a couple more shots by Kanter kept OKC up by eight at the end of three. Nervous levels were now up to “Passing A Note To Your 10th Grade Crush” stages.
Klay never stopped missing his threes; he became a volcanic eruption. Harrison Barnes added a huge corner three to cut the deficit to four. Andre Iguodala was relentless on defending Russell Westbrook AND Kevin Durant. Finally, Curry made a three that tied the game at 99. Nervous levels went up to “Meeting Jessica Alba For The First Time” stages (yes, I actually did meet Jessica Alba, FYI).
This became the most important two-minute stretch for the Dubs this season. After a Durant turnover, the son of Mychal Thompson made his 11TH THREE of the game to give the Warriors a three-point lead. At that point, the Thunder seemed to rush everything. Durant missed a three. Though the Warriors missed some shots, Westbrook seemed to give it back almost immediately with bad passes. Finally, with 14 seconds left, the son of Dell Curry made a bank shot that pretty much sealed the deal. And we’re going to a Game 7.
OKC didn’t move the ball much in the fourth quarter and Klay Thompson went nuts in that fourth quarter as he outscored the entire Thunder team, 19-18. In that last stretch, the Thunder were playing NOT to lose instead of trying to win. Yes, I’d be happy to have my stars handle the ball in the last few minutes; you ride or die (is that still a cool term?) with those guys. And yes, they turned the ball over, but Durant and Westbrook went at the Warriors the way they knew how. Could they have trusted the other guys more in the end? It would’ve been great but you have to give the Warriors credit (Iguodala!) for stopping them. Like I said before, their help defense is some of the most frightening in basketball. They swarmed OKC’s stars as if their season was on the line. Oh, wait. The Warriors’ season WAS on the line.
And what can you say about Thompson? He burned Oklahoma City down with his outside shooting. And those are some difficult threes he put up. Whether it was a pull-up from 30 or whether someone was in his face, he was draining them. It helped that Andre Roberson was in foul trouble but we can’t take this away from #11. It’s one of the greatest shooting exhibitions in NBA playoff history, especially since everything was on the table for G. State.
That Klay don't Playdo
— D. Wilson (@SpitsGame) May 29, 2016
He certainly did not. (I also liked the wordplay. Thanks, Darrel.)
One more thing: the Warriors drained 21 three-pointers compared to OKC’s three. That’s a huge disparity. The Dubs bomb atomically.
BEHIND THE LINES
Klay Thompson (GS): 41 pts (11/18 3FG).
Stephen Curry (GS): 29 pts, 10 rebs, 9 assts.
Draymond Green (GS): 14 pts, 12 rebs, 6 assts, 3 stls.
Kevin Durant (OKC): 29 pts, 7 rebs, 3 blks.
Russell Westbrook (OKC): 28 pts, 9 rebs, 11 assts, 4 stls.
WATCH THIS PLAY
Steven Adams got revenge against Draymond Green. But I imagine Green got the last laugh for tonight. Still…
(VIDEO CREDIT: NBA.)
The do or die Game 7 is on Monday. A Finals berth is on the line. Monday night is going to be LIGHTED. Or whatever slang you guys use.
I love you, National Basketball Association. Always and forever.
Follow Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass for all tweets about the NBA and terrible pop music. Also, check out his podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental.
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