OKC Thunder rally falls short vs. Stephen Curry, Warriors after Chet Holmgren to injury

Posted by Admin November 10, 2024 NBA

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It wasn’t over until Stephen Curry tucked the Thunder in.

The bed was less than sturdy, even with just five minutes to play in the Thunder’s 127-116 loss to the Warriors. OKC, after watching Chet Holmgren plummet into a brutal hip injury in the first quarter and following with a dejected pair of periods, found enough life to keep Curry awake.

The Thunder trailed 107-79 leading into the fourth quarter when coach Mark Daigneault inserted an unassuming lineup of young bulls, a group that featured rookies Dillon Jones and Ajay Mitchell.

Daigneault lets the kids play. After a 20-5 run, the kids reeled the Thunder back in.

“That group had a 48-minute mentality,” Daigneault said.

Behind them, OKC threatened the kind of comeback that breeds nightmares. The Warriors led by as much as 30. They scored a combined 81 points in the second and third quarter, seemingly sending a deflated Thunder squad into oblivion.

When Curry and forward Draymond Green were meant to be resting, bed bugs Alex Caruso and Lu Dort were in their skin, challenging Curry to deliver the sleeper.

The building was rejuvenated. Curry was uncharacteristically fumbling balls. Golden State endured flashbacks of the Houston comeback that began its road trip.

It all brought OKC as close as within six points.

Twenty seconds later, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander placed the game in his own hands. After being forced to anchor a night of small-ball and double teams and accompanying elbows, he missed his first of three straight midrange jumpers. He went 1 for 5 in the fourth quarter.

“We might’ve ran out of gas,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, pausing for a moment. “A little too late.”

Curry lives for those windows. He appreciates the Paycom Center more than most, reveling in the moment each time he gets the chance. He wouldn’t miss Sunday’s opportunity.

With just over a minute to play, he put his finishing touches on the win with a 3 from the left wing. Then he tucked his head into his hand.

Night night.

The fall stole the breath of an entire arena.

Holmgren, doing what he does best, leaped vertically to meet Golden State’s Andrew Wiggins at the rim midway through the first quarter of Oklahoma City’s loss on Sunday.

The collision saw him drop from what felt like five feet in the air, landing awkwardly on his hip. He stayed down for a while, withering in pain and clutching his side, before trainers rushed him. They placed a towel over his face. He soon took it off.

Then, before fellow center Isaiah Hartenstein and staffers helped him escort him to the locker room (he refused to put weight on his right leg), Holmgren gave the crowd a thumbs up.

He wouldn’t return with what the Thunder called a right hip injury. It was revealed early Monday morning that Holmgren sustained a right iliac wing fracture. He’s expected to return this season, with an update on his return-to-play protocol set to provided in eight-to-ten weeks.

As news eventually circulated that Holmgren wouldn’t return Sunday, the fire the big man brings to the building was extinguished.

“Yeah, it’s tough,” forward Jalen Williams said. “I don’t really know what his situation is right now, but just praying for him. And I think anytime you see one of your brothers go down, it’s kind of hard to bring yourself back into the game.”

Without him, the Thunder sorely missed its best (and as far as the regular season goes, its only) rim protector. It missed the rim pressure its precious 7-foot wonder provided. Without him, it missed the spirit of a 22-year-old who made a point to play all 82 regular season games a year ago.

Coach Mark Daigneault, undoubtedly a fan of his especially small lineups, has admittedly had his hand forced without any depth at center. They’ve been his slider when Daigneault yearns for fastballs.

With Holmgren’s departure from Sunday’s game, it immediately became OKC’s best pitch. Perhaps, now, OKC’s only pitch.

Without him, Golden State gnawed at the Thunder’s small shell, especially with its coverage of Curry. It masterfully hit its big men, who made countless out of the short-roll to either punish the Thunder from 3 or abuse a short back line.

On the other end, the Thunder couldn’t capitalize on any paint touches. It desperately could’ve used a roll threat, a lob threat — simply any threat Holmgren or a feasible center could provide.

Asked about what might change in the near future should Holmgren miss time, Gilgeous-Alexander was prompted with the idea that OKC might be forced into more small ball.

“No choice,” SGA said with a chuckle.

“All of us have to figure out how to get stops and rebound,” he added. “Just a few things that Chet does.”