OKC is oh-so-close to reaching the NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history. A win for the Thunder in tonight’s Game 5—at Oracle Arena—would allow them to finally do so. Can they do it? Or will the Golden State Warriors be able to force a Game 6 back in Oklahoma? Read on below for a detailed breakdown of this matchup.
If you’re craving for baseball action as well, click here and check out our preview of the interleague showdown between the Colorado Rockies and Boston Red Sox afterwards.
Thunder vs. Warriors Game Five Preview
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
When: Thursday, May 26, 2016, 9:00 PM ET
Line: Oklahoma City Thunder (+7) vs. Golden State Warriors (-7); total: 219.5 – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: TNT
Betting on the Oklahoma City Thunder
Russell Westbrook stole the show during that win, recording his fifth career playoff triple-double of 36 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. He also did a good job on the opposite end of the floor by posting four steals.
Of course, not to be outdone was Kevin Durant, who is averaging 28.5 points in this series. He finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds despite having a poor shooting night (8-of-24).
There’s no doubt that Westbrook and Durant have been phenomenal, but if you look closely, the Thunder’s rebounding and relentless defense are actually the main reasons as to why they’re at the driver’s seat right now.
OKC has won the battle of the boards in all of their wins in this series. In the previous two games, Durant and co. have also held the Warriors below their usual offensive outputs. The Dubs are averaging 92.5 points and 17.0 turnovers in the previous two games.
In a nutshell, you can expect things to turn out well for Thunder as long as they continue to hustle for those rebounds or loose balls, while also maintaining the same level of intensity on both ends of the court.
Oklahoma City is 3-7 SU and 4-6 ATS in its last 10 visits to Oracle Arena.
Betting on the Golden State Warriors
Only nine teams in league history have managed to comeback from a 3-1 deficit to eventually win a playoff series. Yes, the odds of doing so are looking terrible for the Warriors, but many would surely still agree that this team is more than capable of achieving this astounding feat.
The biggest thing for the defending champions is to take things one step at a time. And right now, all of their energy and focus have to be set on winning tonight’s do-or-die Game 5. There should be nothing else.
Speaking of which, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have got to wear their big-boy pants to keep their hopes for a second-straight championship alive.
Curry, surprisingly, has been struggling with his stroke lately and that could possibly be a sign that his right knee’s still bothering him. The reigning two-time MVP is shooting below 40 percent from the field in the two losses at Oklahoma.
The same could also be said with regards to his three-point accuracy, as he’s only made five out of 21 attempts during that same stretch. A return trip home, though, might finally help Curry, who led the league in points (30.1) in the regular-season, relocate his rhythm.
Thompson, meanwhile, was arguably the lone bright spot for Golden State in Game 4. He had a team-best of 26 points and shot above 50 percent from the field. Thompson’s got to replicate this effort later, needless to say.
Lastly, Draymond Green, who’s played horribly in the past two games, needs to show up. He’s racking up just 7.3 points and has gone 6-of-25 from the floor in the last three games. Green’s versatility, defense and unwavering hustle have been badly missed by the defending champions.
The Dubs are 9-1 SU and 8-2 ATS in their previous 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
The Warriors (-7) win it, 107-99.
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