Curry out with an injury, Thompson not scoring, Green suspended – the Warriors ultimately had no chance against OKC. Meanwhile, Miami’s run continues. The NBA on Friday morning
The Golden State Warriors’ B team lost its home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder 109-128 and now has a negative record (6-7). Without ailing superstar Steph Curry, with Klay Thompson in a slump (this time one of ten from the field) and without the help of suspended NBA bully Draymond Green, the Californians ultimately deserved to lose to OKC (8-4).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was once again the Thunder’s top scorer with 24 points, Josh Giddey (19) and longtime youngster Chet Holmgren (13/10) also impressed, but alongside the familiar names, one role player stood out: Isaiah Joe, 24-year-old shooting guard and Arkansas graduate, far exceeded his average of just under nine points, sank all seven of his three-point attempts and really got on the “Dubs'” nerves with his season-best 23 points.
Kerr on Green: “He went too far “
Steve Kerr is facing a tough few weeks with his shorthanded team, which also lost Gary Paton II (ankle). The head coach described the five-game ban on Green after his seconds-long chokehold on Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert as “deserved”: “He went too far, and he knows it. It was a horrible image for the league and for him.” Kerr said he wouldn’t have had a problem with Green just pulling Gobert away from brawler Thompson, “but he hung on him for six, seven seconds. “
Butler leads Miami
The team with the longest winning streak in the league is the Miami Heat, who got off to a weak start, improving to 8-4 with a 122-115 win over the Brooklyn Nets (6-6) and celebrating their seventh success in a row.
Jimmy Butler was the leader against the Nets – 36 points, five rebounds, three assists. The Heat had not managed such a run since the turn of the year 2017/2018
