The Oklahoma City Thunder are just one win away from the NBA Finals series after a 118-94 victory against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night.
Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals was a must win for the Warriors after they suffered a 133-105 loss in Game 3. But they chose the worst possible time to lose two games in a row for the first time.
The Warriors began to fall behind in the second quarter and started taking quick shots that the Thunder gladly gobbled up. Oklahoma out-rebounded the Warriors by 14 and every missed Warrior shot ended up in the hands of Russell Westbrook who had 36 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists—his first triple-double in the playoffs after posting 18 in the regular season. Kevin Durant added 26 points and 11 rebounds and 4 assists.
Aside from that, KD and Westbrook are finally finding the right balance and cohesion with their shot attempts and the ability to get the others involved. The role players are taking their games to new levels. Andre Roberson and Serge Ibaka chipped in 17 points apiece while Steve Adams scored 11 points and Dion Waiters with 10.
Golden State was expected to be without power forward Draymond Green after he kicked Adams in the groin in Game 3, but he was not suspended and just saw his flagrant-1 foul upgraded to a flagrant-2. Predictably and immediately, there was Twitter outrage as Cleveland Cavalier‘s Dahntay Jones got a one-game ban just one day earlier for striking Toronto’s Bismack Biyombo in the midsection.
Although it was a favor for the champions, it did not really matter as Green had just 6 points. Klay Thompson led the Dubs with 26 points. Stephen Curry who seemed unhealthy made 19 points, misfiring on 8 of his 10 three-point attempts.
Golden State heads back home with a 3-1 series deficit and will have to face their moment of truth in Game 5. The next game is on Thursday night at Oracle Arena in California.
Betting Odds for Game 5
Oklahoma City Thunders +7.5
Golden State Warriors -7.5
Odds Courtesy of Oddshark
