Warriors Push Thunder in 104-97 Loss
The Golden State Warriors pushed the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder to the brink before ultimately falling 104-97, with Kristaps Porziņģis returning from illness as confirmed by coach Steve Kerr. His presence is expected to boost the Warriors' frontcourt rotation moving forward.
The loss for the Warriors came despite a strong performance from Gui Santos, who led the team with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Draymond Green contributed 16 points, while Brandin Podziemski added 17. For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the high scorer with 27 points, helping to extend Oklahoma City's winning streak to five games. Kristaps Porziņģis, in his second game with Golden State, played 23 minutes and finished with nine points, five rebounds, and five assists. This was his first game back after a six-game absence due to illness. The Warriors plan to rest Porziņģis for their next game on Monday in Utah, with his next expected appearance to be Tuesday at home against the Chicago Bulls. The defeat drops the Warriors to a 32-30 record, holding onto the 8th spot in the Western Conference. The Thunder, meanwhile, solidified their position at the top of the conference, boasting a 49-15 record. This game marked another appearance for Gary Payton II, who also recently returned from an ankle injury that had sidelined him for two games. Looking ahead, the Warriors will travel to face the Utah Jazz on Monday. The Thunder will return home to play the Denver Nuggets, also on Monday.
