OKLAHOMA CITY — The Warriors avoided near disaster Monday night when the Thunder roared back in the second half.
Oklahoma cut the Warriors’ 21-point lead down to two twice in the fourth quarter, but Golden State held on 128-120 to win its third consecutive game.
Monday was a vintage Splash Bros showing, and the Warriors needed every contribution from Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Curry recorded a double-double with 38 points and 12 assists and Thompson added 28 points.
The Warriors got off to a hot start. They moved the ball well, recording a season-high 15 assists in the opening quarter to take a 38-20 lead at the end of the first. They maintained their edge for the remainder of the first half and looked to be running away with it in the third, pulling ahead by as many as 21. But that’s when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder got rolling.
Oklahoma opened the fourth with a 13-6 run. Jalen Williams hit a step-back 3 to cut Golden State’s lead to two. The Thunder would trim the visitor’s lead to two once more but could not top the reigning champs.
Thunder fans started to head to the exits with the Warriors up seven with 41 seconds left.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 of his 31 points in the second half.
Golden State, who is eight games back from the first-place Nuggets, will make their second and final regular-season trip to the Twin Cities when they play the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.
