The Golden State Warriors have completed an impressive five-game road-trip with a 127-116 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on Sunday.
Following a 26-point first-quarter that saw them down by seven, the Warriors were near flawless over the second and third periods as they tallied 81 points across the 24-minute stretch.
Stephen Curry exploded in the Warriors' 11-point win over the Thunder
A Stephen Curry explosion led a 42-point third-quarter -- a season-best for Golden State as they built an enormous 30-point lead against the previously 8-1 Thunder who have the best defense in the NBA.
After Curry had burnt them on a number of one-on-one situations, OKC turned to doubling the 2x MVP which led to others cashing in from all over the floor. But after Curry went to the bench with the game firmly in hand, the Warrior offense crumbled in a startling feast-to-famine situation.
The Thunder went on a 31-7 run in eight minutes of play, cutting the margin to six with over four minutes still left in the ball game. Fortunately they got no closer, with Curry putting the finishing touches on with a big wing three in the final 90 seconds.
Curry had his best game of the season with 36 points on 13-of-23 shooting and 7-of-13 from three-point range, while also adding five rebounds, seven assists and finishing as an equal game-high +21 in over 36 minutes.
Andrew Wiggins was also a +21, stuffing the box score with 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals in 35 minutes. The game-defining play may have come in the first-quarter though when the 2022 All-Star aggressively drove baseline at Chet Holmgren, making the layup and leaving the talented Thunder center on the floor in agonising pain.
Holmgren would never return to the game, leaving a complete small-ball style that suited Golden State. Trayce Jackson-Davis never return after playing the opening five minutes, while veteran big Kevon Looney was a complete DNP.
De'Anthony Melton started alongside Curry in the back-court, making some big shots particularly in the second-quarter. The 26-year-old had 19 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and three steals, going 5-of-8 from three-point range.
Jonathan Kuminga took advantage of OKC's lack of size without Holmgren, going 8-of-11 from the floor for 20 points and five rebounds in just over 26 minutes off the bench. Golden State shot 50.6% from the floor and 48.8% from three-point range, having completely destroyed the league's best defense in the second and third-quarters.
The Warriors finish the road-trip with an impressive 4-1 record, and are now 8-2 ahead of a huge matchup with Klay Thompson returning to Chase Center on Tuesday night.
