This was supposed to be an easy night in Oklahoma City. The Warriors entered Monday night on an eight-game win streak, hadn't played since Thursday and were facing a 17-win Thunder team. In the end, talent and experience won out in a 110-98 Warriors victory.
Easy, it wasn't.
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The Warriors trailed 23-20 at the end of the first quarter after going 3-for-13 on 3-pointers. Turning the ball over five times didn't help and neither did allowing 14 points in the paint. But then, Andre Iguodala, Jonathan Kuminga and Co. made an instant impact off the bench.
Golden State's offense came alive with 36 points in the second quarter, but they only outscored OKC by three in the third quarter and were outscored 26-25 in the fourth. That second quarter was all the difference.
Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 21 points and Steph Curry scored 18, while adding 10 assists and nine rebounds. Thompson hit two clutch 3-pointers at the end, and Steph's last splash from long distance sealed the win.
One thing to watch for is the Warriors were outrebounded 49-41 and allowed 18 offensive rebounds and five in one possession. As they continue to go small and wait for James Wiseman, this will be an issue to watch going forward, starting Wednesday with Rudy Gobert and the Utah Jazz.
Here are three takeaways as the Warriors hung on to improve to 41-13 this season.
Golden State Warriors
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Kuminga vs. Giddey
With the No. 6 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Thunder took 6-foot-8 guard Josh Giddey out of Australia. One pick later, the Warriors went with Kuminga. Giddey seemed like he could be the perfect fit for the win-now Warriors. Kuminga, seen as a raw prospect, fit OKC's rebuild.
On Monday night, both players showed why their respective teams are more than happy with their pick.
Yes, Giddey scored 16 points and just missed a triple-double with 11 rebounds and seven assists.
The night belonged to Kuminga, though. He also scored 16 points in 23 minutes off the bench and was a plus-12, adding four rebounds and four assists.
Giddey is the Thunder's point-forward who can rack up triple-doubles. Kuminga is the super athlete, showcasing star potential on a nightly basis. While Giddey might have a higher floor than Kuminga, it's clear Kuminga's ceiling is out of this world.
Though Giddey's numbers will get more recognition this season, it will be very interesting to watch how these two picks pan out for years to come.
Lefty Love
No, not Gary Payton II or Thunder forward Darius Bazley. We're talking about Wiggins, who yes, is right-handed.
Wiggins all season long has loved the left corner and the left wing. That continued against the Thunder. He scored 11 of his 15 points from the left corner or left wing.
The All-Star small forward made two 3-pointers from the left corner, one from the left wing and two shots total from the left wing. He continues to thrive in his role and was a plus-6 while adding five rebounds.
Bench Mob
Iguodala, after missing eight straight games to a hip injury, showed exactly why the Warriors signed him when he entered the game. Iguodala played six minutes, made his only shot attempts -- a 3-pointer -- grabbed three rebounds, had two assists and was a plus-8.
The problem is, all those minutes were in the first half. He exited early and didn't return with lower back tightness.
Here's the good news: Steve Kerr played seven players off the bench. All but one -- Juan Toscano-Anderson -- scored. Kuminga led the way, though he wasn't alone. Jordan Poole dropped 11 points and was a plus-17. Damion Lee was a plus-15 while scoring six points.
As a whole, the Warriors' bench outscored the Thunder's second squad 46-21. It wasn't perfect but it was a complete team win to start a four-game week.