The Golden State Warriors lost just two home games all season long. They picked a fine time to lose another one.
This Western Conference Finals matchup between the Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder was expected to be a competitive one. Few expected that competitiveness to manifest like this — the Thunder taking the first game of the series, a game where they trailed by as many as 14 points, on the road in front of one of the most raucous crowds in the league.
Russell Westbrook struggled mightily in the first two quarters, and the Warriors led by 13 at the half. It was a different Westbrook who came out after halftime, scoring 19 points in the third quarter, carrying the Thunder back into the game and ultimately helping them seal an unlikely win.
One game does not a series make, and there are all sorts of things that are likely to change as the series continues. Both Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry missed plenty of shots they normally make. The Warriors outrebounded the Thunder, and lineups on both sides worked far differently than regular season samples would have indicated. Nothing is certain, but here are a few things we learned from Game 1.
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