Golden State Warriors: 5 Takeaways From Game 6 vs. Thunder
In one of the best games in NBA playoff history, the Golden State Warriors pulled off a Game 6 comeback against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Here are the 5 biggest takeaways from the unforgettable matchup.
Facing a 3-1 deficit and a seemingly superior Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2016 Western Conference Finals, it would’ve been easy for the Golden State Warriors to cave and rest on the laurels of last year’s championship.
But for a 73-win squad still fighting for another title belt in a historic season, Game 6 provided a glimpse of why this team can never be counted out.
In Saturday night’s thriller in OKC, the Warriors overcame an eight-point deficit entering the fourth quarter behind a monster performance from Klay Thompson and an underrated night from Stephen Curry, forcing a Game 7 back in Oakland with a 108-101 victory.
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Thompson finished the game with 41 points and 11 three-pointers, Curry tallied a tidy 31-10-9 stat line, Draymond Green added 12 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block, and the Warriors silenced a roaring Chesapeake Energy Arena to take back control of the series.
Kevin Durant (29 points on 31 shots, three turnovers) and Russell Westbrook (28 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds and four steals, but 10-of-27 shooting and five turnovers) both struggled down the stretch, and it’s tempting to say the Thunder once again choked a game away.
But the real story of Game 6 was Thompson’s refusal to lose in a monumental comeback effort on the road. OKC’s late-game turnovers didn’t help matters, but the truth is, the Warriors went out and took the game.
The Dubs outscored OKC 19-5 over the game’s final minutes, the Warriors’ Lineup of Death returned to form by outscoring the Thunder 21-10 in seven fourth quarter minutes, and Golden State’s three-point shooting returned with a vengeance as the Dubs’ 21 made three-pointers dwarfed OKC’s three.
Warriors hit 21 three-pointers to Thunder's 3. That +18 differential is an NBA playoff record. Previous was +16 (2016 GSW, 2016 CLE).
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) May 29, 2016
Heading into the Warriors first Game 7 at home in 40 years, here’s a look at the possible turning point in the series and what it means for the decisive matchup between these two juggernauts.
Next: No. 5