Not exactly what NBA fans were hoping for with the Steph-Shai Battle on the Bay deal, but still a very exciting basketball game which went right to the end with Andrew Wiggins missing a shot late which would have sent the game into overtime.
Steph sat with two sore knees. De’Anthony Melton, who started as the second guard last time these two teams met, is done for the season with an ACL injury. Chet obviously didn’t play. JDub played, but left late in the second period with an eye injury and never returned.
Isaiah Hartenstein played and was once again solid. And without Steph on the floor…Shai was easily my as player of the game.
I don’t think this game tells us much except for the fact that if Steph misses alot of regular season games the Warriors will struggle holding on to a top six seeding position in the SEC-like West. The other Warriors played admirably in the second half, but Steph is really the only star this Warrior team has on it as presently structured. No Steph…no go.
I would also say now that we’ve seen more of Hartenstein with the Thunder in my mind I would move the Thunder back up to a top four team in the entire NBA to win the championship. He fits in nicely with these guys. He’s quicker than I thought he was and in no way diminishes the Thunder’s pace up and down the court.
So I guess what Chet would be for the Thunder this season is kind of like what Porzingus is for the Boston Celtics. That being said, if both of these guys are healthy and available one would think we might be in store for a Celtic-Thunder NBA Final.
If you’re not paying attention…the Houston Rockets have been on fire of late and are now in second place in the West.
My basketball focus now shifts to OU for tomorrow as the Sooners held on late yesterday to edge Providence to advance to the semis versus Arizona in a holiday tournament in the Bahamas.
The Sooners are now 5-0 and added some nice players to their roster. If you haven’t seen Jeremiah Fears, Kobe Elvis, Duke Miles, and Bryce Goodine yet…they pretty much give OU a nice quartet of guards to go along with Jalon Moore.
If you’re a hoops junkie…you’re a hoops junkie. Which I certainly am. Plus…with the cold weather I finally binge watched The Lincoln Lawyer–Season 2 and will probably squeeze in Season 3 given this current stretch of cold weather in Oklahoma which I hate.
Have a beautiful Thanksgiving with your families and loved ones.
Mike J