Warriors Rewind, 10 Thoughts on Warriors 121 Thunder 118

1) There were so many twists and turns, so much drama and surprise in this game that Curry suffering an ankle injury in the third quarter almost became an afterthought. First there was Draymond Green’s locker room tirade at halftime; then Kevin Durant’s boneheaded foul on Andre Iguodala with no time remaining in regulation; then Andre, a 62% free-throw shooter, actually draining those two shots; then overtime; then KD fouling out; then finally all of that action leading to the game’s apogee, a Stephen Curry pull-up to bang (bang!) home the game winner. After watching this game, trying to watch any other NBA game is going to be darn near impossible. Kind of like when I have to help my dad use his old Motorola flip phone. I mean, I guess it’s the same thing — kind of — but it’s so much slower and less flashy. Give me the Warriors and my iPhone back, please.

2) OKC’s Big Three had a great game. KD had 37, 12 and 5. Russell Westbrook: 26, 7, and 13. And Serge Ibaka finished with 15 points and 20 monster rebounds. The Thunder came with a good game plan (KD on Draymond to thwart the Warriors’ 1-4 pick-and-roll) and got after it defensively running shooters off the line, but that’s how bright Curry’s star is shining right now. His transcendent play (43.7 ppg in last 4) is peerless this season, and on some nights (like versus the Magic in the previous game) he just won’t allow the Warriors to lose. Even on a bum ankle the MVP was 12-of-16 on three-pointers and had no hesitation taking a game-winner four quick steps inside half court.

3) Depending on one’s point of view, Draymond’s halftime tirade could be described as either “inspiring” or “dispiriting.” But no matter your position, there’s no denying that Dray came out of the intermission fired up and played one of the best defensive half of basketball in his short career. He blocked KD one-on-one and rejected Russell Westbrook in the paint once. He battled Kanter, Adams and Ibaka in the middle, and came up with the key offensive rebound for Klay Thompson’s three (32 points) that pulled the Dubs to within one in overtime. Dray finished with 14 rebounds, 14 assists, six blocks, four steals, two points and one new nickname: the Robot.

4) If you’re an OKC fan, you could console yourself by thinking “We had this win but Curry just got hot. It’s unsustainable. And imagine if we had hit a few more free throws (17-26) or limited our turnovers (22), we would’ve won in a blowout.”

5) But if you’re a Warriors fan, the argument would run like this: Dray was 0-8 from the field; all Warriors not named Curry were a combined 2-16 on threes; Durant was lights out; we were at the end of a long road trip; Varejao, Barnes and HB missed 4 open layups … and we still won by three.

6) If you were asked before the game which you’d rather bet on, Iguodala sinking two free throws with no time remaining or Curry draining a game-winner from 32-feet, which would you have taken? Yeah, I would’ve bet on Curry too. The two Iggy free throws was probably by far the moment when Warriors fans were most nervous. Clutch makes by Andre.

7) From @GSWstats, Curry is the first NBA player to hit 10 three-pointers or more in consecutive games. I really want him to make 13 threes in a game someday so we can finally stop seeing former Warrior Donyell Marshall’s face on the screen whenever there’s mention of the record. Donyell Marshall doesn’t make me think happy thoughts.

8) OKC’s wings could use some help. Andre Roberson got the Tony Allen treatment (though he finally started to dive towards the rim late and got a key bucket out of it in OT). Kyle Singler has the opposite problem in that he can shoot a bit but is horrendous defensively (Curry kept burning him on switches and Klay’s and-1 layup to tie the game came on a simple back screen where Singler was slow to locate Klay), and Dion Waiters is Dion Waiters: -18 for the night.

9) Watch that Curry game-winner one more time. My favorite reaction is from the lady in red in the front row. Both hands on her head like she already knows. (The little dance was fun too.)

10) Oscar Robertson, Kareem, Isaiah Thomas, Stephen Jackson, Cedric Ceballos, all of the retired players in the world, please keep bashing the Warriors and Steph Curry. Just more fuel on a fire burning out of control.