Warriors vs. Thunder, Final Score: Oklahoma City Scraps Against Golden State, Fall Again, 91-86

Box Score | Golden State of Mind

Another incredibly scrappy effort from the Oklahoma City, they held Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson to a total of five points in the second half, but did not have an answer for Marreese Speights and they fell to the Golden State Warriors, 91-86.

What is your initial reaction to tonight's result?

First Quarter
Absolutely love how scrappy the team is without their two main stars.  They are clearly out matched in talent across the lineup, but there is zero quit in this Thunder team.  Eventually the talent is going to win out, but the Thunder make each team work for it.

Top five in all major defensive statistical categories at home, but bottom two in just about every offensive category.

Steven Adams might need to start having some plays drawn up for him.  That little hook shot is starting to become automatic.

Second Quarter
Jackson helped keep the Thunder in this one.  There were a couple moments when the Warriors looked like they were going to run away with it, but he made some very nice decisions with the ball, a couple big assists.

Third Quarter
The third quarter was incredibly ugly.  The teams combined to start the quarter 0-14 from the floor.  OKC had a bunch of chances to tie or take the lead early on with how terrible the Warriors were shooting (two missed dunks, three missed layups) and finally with 1:21 left after a Brandon Rush carry, Steve Kerr was called for a technical foul, Anthony Morrow converted on the free throw to give OKC the 66-65 lead.

Fourth Quarter
Man, Nick Collison does all those little things that you love.  Whenever he moves on he's really going to be missed.  He's gotten the Thunder at least five more possessions tonight with heady play.

Anthony Morrow was absolutely huge in this quarter.  His three point shooting was absolutely crucial in the quarter.   Morrow could have had brought the Thunder down two with 56 seconds left, but Serge Ibaka dunked the ball while it was in the cylinder, negating the basket.  Ibaka forced Curry into an air ball the next time down the court and then scored on their ensuing possession.  Could have been a tie game.

What was, overall, the main reason why the Thunder lost?

The talent to close isn't there.  Had Russell Westbrook been healthy this could have been a Thunder win, but Curry and Thompson could have felt a bit more challenged as well.  While the Thunder are playing a slower, more grinding pace, they need to take advantage of Adams physicality in the post.  His footwork has vastly improved and that hook shot, again, has become deadly and is pretty much unblockable.  Thunder need to work the ball down to Adams more, use more clock, take a few more possessions away from their opponents and force the game to be down into the high 70's and low 80's until they are 100% healthy.

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Nesgoda's Awards

Thunder Wonder: Anthony Morrow had a fantastic game on both sides of the ball with 16 points, 12 boards and just under an even 50% shooting from both the field and from three.

Thunder Down Under: Reggie Jackson was a very Russell Westbrook type evening: 22 points (on 10-26 shooting -- just one free throw attempt), 11 rebounds, eight assists and only two turnovers!

Thunder Blunder: Jeremy Lamb continues to play himself out of the lineup when Durant, Westbrook and Jones comes back. 0-6 from the field, one rebound, two of his shots were blocked, but he was 5-5 from the free throw stripe.

Thunder Plunderer: There was no stopping Mo Speights tonight, none.  He led the Warriors with 28 points, while grabbing seven boards.

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Next game: Wednesday, November 26th vs. Utah Jazz 7:00PM CDT.