The Golden State Warriors will begin their first game of the new In-Season tournament with tonight’s matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The game will be played at 5:00 PM PT in Oklahoma City and can be watched on NBC Sports Bay Area.
Previously with the Warriors:
Golden State kept their winning streak alive after narrowly beating the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night, 102-101. With Kings All-Star point guard, De’Aaron Fox, missing the game due to an ankle injury, this matchup had all the makings of a trap game that the Warriors probably would’ve lost last season.
This seemed to be the case for most of the night as Golden State trailed Sacramento by five points heading into the fourth quarter. The game stayed close to the very last second until Klay Thompson came through with the clutch shot that put the Warriors up by one with less than a second remaining. A deflected pass on a last second tip attempt sealed the victory for the Dubs and advanced them to a record of 4-1 on the season.
What to watch for tonight:
Tonight’s matchup marks the first game of the new In-Season Tournament. Golden State is in the Western Conference’s Group C, alongside the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Sacramento Kings, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the San Antonio Spurs. They will play one game against each team in the group with the best four-game record amongst them advancing to the knockout round.
This will also be Golden State’s first look at Oklahoma City’s rookie big man Chet Holmgren. The second-overall pick from the 2022 NBA Draft missed all of last season due to a foot injury. Now fully recovered, he’s making an impact early in his NBA career averaging 15.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game this season.
At 7-foot-1 with an enormous 7-foot-5 wingspan, Holmgren is already one of the better shot blockers in the league. He can drop in coverage to protect the rim, while also adequately contesting shots along the three-point line. For the Warriors, look for Kevon Looney and Draymond Green to assert their physicality in the paint in an effort to take advantage of Holmgren’s still developing 195-pound frame.
It should be a fun game. Enjoy the basketball Dub Nation. GO WARRIORS!!!
Projected Starters
Warriors: Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney
Thunder: Cason Wallace, Josh Giddey, Luguentz Dort, Jalen Wiliams, Chet Holmgren
How to watch Regular Season Game #6
Who: Golden State Warriors (4 – 1) at Oklahoma City Thunder (3 – 2)
When: Friday, November 3rd, at 5:00 p.m. PT
Where: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma