Thunder Preview: OKC Pursues Another Win as Golden State Stands in the Way
OKLAHOMA CITY — The NBA-leading Thunder, riding a remarkable 20-1 start, wrap up their West Coast swing Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors. Tip-off is scheduled for 10:00 p.m. Central time at Chase Center in San Francisco.
Golden State will be shorthanded without star Stephen Curry, who is sidelined with a quadriceps injury. Oklahoma City will also be missing a few key contributors: Alex Caruso (quadriceps), Isaiah Hartenstein (ankle), Nikola Topic, and Thomas Sorber.
The Thunder just defeated the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, marking the third meeting between the teams in November. Portland handed Oklahoma City their lone loss of the season in the first matchup, though the Thunder matched up well in one of the other two games.
This game marks the second encounter between Oklahoma City and Golden State this season. In the November 11 showdown, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 28 points through three quarters as the Thunder cruised to a 126-102 victory.
Chet Holmgren delivered an unforgettable performance that night, shooting a flawless 9-for-9 from the field for 23 points and 11 rebounds—the kind of outing that will be tough to replicate on the road at Chase Center.
With Oklahoma City near full strength, the Thunder aim to push their record to 21-1 and maintain the historic pace toward a potential 70-win season (a benchmark last achieved by Golden State in 2015-16 with a 73-9 mark).
Without Curry, Golden State is expected to lean on Jimmy Butler III (averaging 20.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists per game) and Gary Payton II for offense and playmaking.
For live updates throughout the game, follow Griffin Media Thunder Reporter Steve McGehee on X.
Drake Johnson serves as a Digital Content Producer for Griffin Media, joining the team in July 2021 after earning a journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma.
