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OAKLAND – The Warriors showed a perfect performance in the patchwork Tuesday night in their 108-100 win over the Thunder at the opening night. Even in case of victory, it was obvious that they have a lot of work to do.
There was good and bad in almost equal numbers, and everyone in the locker room was honest enough to recognize it. They will have to be significantly more effective in meeting their standards and they know it.
Here are two positive aspects and two negative aspects appearing in the analysis of the game, the reaction and the video criticism:
POSITIVE
Curry and Durant bringing the "O"
One night Klay Thompson just did not get it – 5 out of 20 and 1 out of 8 over the bow, missing his last seven attempts deep down – Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant found buckets.
Curry and Durant combined 22 points in the first quarter, giving the Warriors a two-digit lead. The two scored seven of the team's nine points in the final two minutes to close the victory.
Curry finished with 32 points (11 out of 20 from the field, 5 out of 9 over the bow, 5 out of 5 off the free throw line), a record of nine assists and eight rebounds. He was over-15 in 37 minutes.
Durant also played 37 minutes, totaling 27 points (9 out of 21 from the field, 0 from the deepest 5, 9 out of 10 from the line), eight rebounds, six assists and one block. He was over-14 for the match.
The rise of Kevon
When entering last season, there were legitimate reasons to know if Kevon Looney could have a significant career in the NBA. The team's first-round pick in the 2015 draft, he had undergone an operation on both hips, leaving much to doubt about his future.
He silenced these doubts. Efficient on both sides, Looney was a strong contributor, which led to the question: what is his ceiling?
It's to be determined, but it's clear he did not reach the goal. Always smart and fundamentally healthy, Looney now sprinkles more and more of her athleticism.
He was hyperactive in the paint, protecting the rim and grabbing 10 rebounds – eight on the offensive glass – to expand multiple possessions. He blocked two shots and recorded two assists. The fact that he was over 23 in 18 minutes is a good illustration of his impact.
Looney is losing his skepticism. He is 22 years old. He has a future in the NBA.
NEGATIVE
Temporary identity loss
The Warriors entered the second half with a 10-point lead. OKC needed less than five minutes to clear the deficit and increase by three, largely because the Warriors were passive in defense and strayed from their customary offensive.
The Thunder reduced the deficit to three (64-61) when Durant hooked on Paul George and failed to pass to Patrick Patterson, who opened the scoring at 3 from a wide pass of a George.
Two possessions later, after a triple George shot OKC in less than two minutes, a Draymond Green turnover led directly to a 3-ball run by Dennis Schroder, who had too much room for Curry. Thunder by one.
How did the warriors react? They went with zero consecutive passes, first of Durant and the second of Thompson. When Klay missed his shot on a mid-range jumper, Kerr jumped off the bench.
What followed was predictable. Kerr called a timeout, but not until OKC passed the ball to Steven Adams, who dropped him for a three-point lead.
The warriors have moved away from what they do best. A timeout helped them remember.
Iguodala enters the locker room
Andre Iguodala left the match with 6:11 remaining in the second quarter and did not return. The Warriors announced that the veterans' wing was experiencing tension in his left calf.
This may be a concern. Maybe not.
But it did not take much time – 18 minutes after the start of the season – so that the murmuring concerns about the regular availability of Iguodala get their first nugget worthy of being documented.
Iguodala has missed 41 games in the last three seasons. When he missed 18 games last season, after signing a three-year deal with $ 48 million, rumors have begun. It is such an important member of the team, but the injuries accumulate.
It is not necessary to trigger the alarms. But if the aches, pains and bruises begin to add up, it is legitimate to wonder if Iguodala is entering the territory of Andrew Bogut.
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