He’s going to compete every night. “It’s helped us grow and improve”.
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The Warriors led just 81-77 before backup guard Shaun Livingston opened the fourth quarter with a short jumper.
There was pressure building on Sunday night at a hotel bar not far from the Thunder’s home, where a wayward Warriors fan was so enraged that TNT analyst Charles Barkley picked the Thunder to win the series that he challenged him to an actual fight (security was called, and the man was removed). Andre Roberson, a player the Warriors have ignored at times during the series, scored a career-high 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. They are determined, and they want what we have, ” Kerr said.
As much as Bogut provided on the boards and defensively, Speights gave the team offensive production from the post, and that has been sorely needed, too, as the Thunder has made slowing the Warriors’ 3-point shooting a primary defensive focus. The Warriors are on the brink of losing their grip on the NBA Championship crown if the Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook-led Thunder prevail in Game Five. They looked overzealous. They were trying for a first-quarter knockout blow, probably to feed the doubt they’d installed in the Warriors in the previous two games. And after all that, the Warriors with renewed confidence get a chance to win a Game 7 at home in front of a frenzied crowd.
Curry, who led the National Basketball Association with 2.14 steals per game this season, acknowledged that Thompson typically draws the tougher defensive assignment when asked about Durant’s comments. Still leading heading into the 4th quarter and shooting better than 50% from the field and over 50 percent from the 3 point line.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma City got a boost from an unlikely source. In Oklahoma City’s three wins, the Thunder have outrebounded the Warriors.
Thunder coach Billy Donovan said his players don’t need to get ahead of themselves worrying about results. “We had our opportunities”. As the Cavs bounced back in a big way in Game 5, winning 116-78, so did Thompson who scored nine points and pulled down ten rebounds.
Of particular concern to the Warriors are Stephen Curry’s struggles over the past two games.
“We know we’re going back home, but we can’t relax”, said Durant, who had 40 points and missed a 3-point attempt that would’ve cut Golden State’s lead to three with 35 seconds left.
He wasn’t surprised to see this team respond so well. “This is its own separate game and we’re going to have to go now on the road to play in a very hard environment against a great team”.
“I had a bad start to the game, and shots that I normally make when I got to the paint, I missed some layups”, Curry told The Mercury News.
Obviously, Andrew Bogut’s 30 minutes of work in which he delivered 15 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks were crucial. It also matched the most points Golden State has allowed in a half this season for the second straight game.
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Thunder: The franchise lost in the finals in 1977-78, 1995-96 to Kerr and the Chicago Bulls and in ’12…. Adams played just 91/2 first-half minutes, and backup Enes Kanter was a non-factor. Golden State’s wounded, but there’s still venom in the bite. The Warriors were not hot with their typical shots – 2-of-10 from three – but they were getting to the rim and finishing better inside, which got them a lead in a game where Oracle Arena is rocking.
