NBABy Harry Lyles Jr. on

There was one regular season test left to truly determine if there was a team that would be able to crack the Golden State Warriors, and although the Oklahoma City Thunder came close, it just wasn’t enough, falling to the Warriors 116-108 in front of a star-studded crowd at Oracle Arena on Saturday night.

Steve Kerr sent a message early, after the Warriors fell down 9-0, letting his guys play it out rather than calling a timeout. It worked. Harrison Barnes was the main ingredient in the Warriors’ answer to the Thunder run early in the game. Barnes scored nine of the Warriors first 13 points, and not only kept his team within striking distance, but also kept the famously loud crowd at Oracle Arena into the game. He would finish the game with 19 points, good for second-most on the Warriors.

The Warriors’ ball movement was their biggest advantage the rest of the game. On several occasions, Golden State would appear to have an open look, and opt to make the extra pass to find an even better look. That’s just one part of what makes the Warriors so great this season, and it’s been giving the opposition fits every single time.

At times during the game, the Thunder played great defensive possessions and it looked like they had caused a stop on defense, but the Warriors would somehow still find a way to get a basket. For instance, there was a possession that the Thunder defended down to the final second of the shot clock, and Marreese Speights was able to knock down a wide-open three pointer. Their style of play is absolutely demoralizing in that aspect.

On top of that facet of their game, the Warriors are able to run your endurance down quickly. They did just that in the second quarter against the Thunder. Billy Donovan had Enes Kanter and Steven Adams on the floor at the same time, but the Warriors versatility was too much for them to handle. The pace of play allowed for easy baskets, and the Thunder to lose their wind. When the Warriors combine their signature brand of ball movement with their quickness and depth, it can get ugly fast, as teams have seen throughout the season.

The Warriors’ ability to keep their pace up with their bench gives them a unique ability to score in bunches the entire game. If there was a team that could stop that, it would probably be Oklahoma City, but they failed to do so, despite giving the Warriors their best challenge to date. With 3:36 to play, OKC tied the contest at 104 after an Kanter bucket, but two Kevin Durant missed three-point attempts coupled with buckets by Steph Curry and Klay Thompson helped the Warriors hold on late.

The bench really won the Warriors the game. Shaun Livingston did what he always does for the Warriors with his great size as a point guard, adding 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the floor. His ability to challenge the Thunder bigs helped give his teammates open opportunities, as he would get by the Thunder bigs, drawing help defense which gave his teammates open looks.

Marreese Speights was brought back into the mix as well, a weapon that is talked about the least when it comes to this squad. His ball-handling ability and ability to knock down deep mid-range shots makes him tough to guard for a big man, especially when considering the other threats that Golden State could throw on the floor at any given time. He gave the Thunder fits all night with his mid-range shot, and was +20 while on the floor, the best of any Warriors player Saturday night. It was clear research on Speights leading up to this game went forgotten, as he came up with 15 points off the bench.

Draymond Green and Klay Thompson quietly did what they always do. Green battled down low with the Oklahoma City bigs, and game up with 14 rebounds to go along with his nine points and six assists. He might not put up gigantic numbers like Thompson and Curry do almost regularly, but he’s without a doubt one of the most important pieces on the team, and it showed against the Thunder. Although he wasn’t able to knock down the deep ball, Thompson was effective, creating open mid-range jumpshots, which are almost as good as a free throw for him. When they needed them from him, he was able to give his team a basket, finishing with 18 points.

Of course, none of what the Warriors do is as effective without Steph Curry. The attention he draws makes the Warriors such a tough team to defend, because if teams don’t guard him as soon as he crosses halfcourt, they’ve already made a huge mistake. His ability to knock down the three is known, but his ability to finish at the rim is just as deadly. He’s without a doubt the toughest player in the league to guard.

What was most impressive of the Warriors Saturday night, was that Curry didn’t even have a great game by his standards. Sure, he had 26 points and 10 assists, but he shot just 1-of-9 from deep, and 10-of-26 from the field. The Warriors don’t need him to be spectacular every single night. His presence on the floor is simply enough.

Golden State survived one of the best duos in the league in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, and led by at least 15 for a good chunk of the game, until the Thunder charged late. Durant led all scorers with 40, adding 14 boards, and his effort on the defensive end in the second half was especially admirable. Russell Westbrook had 27 on 8-of-22 shooting, with 12 assists. But the Warriors’ experience and variety of threats was just too much in the end.

A combination like Durant and Westbrook beats most NBA teams handily—as evidenced by the Thunder’s 38-14 record—but the Warriors are just in a class of their own.

Although defeated, the Thunder can find bright spots in the loss. They came back after trailing big in the game, on the road, in the toughest arena to play in the league. They showed that they can compete with the Warriors, who have seemed untouchable for the majority of the season. If the Thunder are able to perfect who they are, and learn from this loss strategically, they could be the Warriors’ greatest obstacle come the postseason, even with the Spurs looming.

For the Warriors, eclipsing the 1995-96 Bulls’ record is looking much more realistic. If they are able to maintain good health, and survive a grueling road trip in February that includes games against the Clippers, Hawks, Heat, and Thunder, don’t be surprised if they win 73 games or more. At the very least, they’re clearly the best team in the league. And they keep showing that against top teams.

About Harry Lyles Jr.

Harry Lyles Jr. is an Atlanta-based writer, and a Georgia State University graduate.

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