{"id":2432,"date":"2016-05-20T13:26:55","date_gmt":"2016-05-20T18:26:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=2432"},"modified":"2016-09-20T00:35:39","modified_gmt":"2016-09-20T05:35:39","slug":"thunder-and-warriors-western-finals-games-three-and-four-will-be","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=2432","title":{"rendered":"Thunder and Warriors Western Finals: Games Three and Four will be……………"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Curry\u2019s big night evens Warriors\u2019 series with Thunder By Rusty Simmons Updated 11:50 am, Thursday, May 19, 2016 156 Golden State Warriors\u0092 Stephen Curry tries to knock the ball away from Oklahoma City Thunders\u0092 Russell Westbrook in the third quarter during Game 2 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 in Oakland, Calif. Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sports fans, especially those that belong to the\u00a0Oklahoma City Thunder nation, any thought of\u00a0this team\u00a0off Reno Avenue winning their Western Conference Finals series with the Golden State Warriors hinges on the\u00a0winning out in home games\u00a0in the Chesapeake Arena.\u00a0 That, in all seriousness,\u00a0 says that games three and four in Oklahoma City must be won by the home team.\u00a0 I might add, forget about using the word \u201cstealing a game\u201d if the Warriors upend \u201cBig Blue\u201d on Sunday or\u00a0 Tuesday night.\u00a0 The finely tuned team from the Bay in Oakland will not steal anything.\u00a0 Winning either game, or both, will be there for the taking, as Stephan Curry and company have the firepower to put the Thunder down with superior play that can come in short but deadly sprits in the forty-eight minute NBA game.<\/p>\n

Losing a game on their home court would put theThunder in a must win again situation in the Oricle in Oakland, something that might be just too much for them to pull off. Sure, I recognize the fact that Oklahoma City has fared well on the road in these 2016 playoffs, taking two wins each against Dallas and San Antonio, but a second win on the Warriors floor in the Oracle in Oakland would be a daunting task, one that I would say is not going to happen.\u00a0 The fact of the matter, Oklahoma City\u2019s first game win in this series has put the Thunder in a winning situation if they can hold serve\u00a0at home.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The game on Sunday put pressure on both teams, unlike game one where Golden State failed a test on keeping home court.\u00a0\u00a0Game two was again a pressure game for the Warriors as they could not go down two games with\u00a0three of the \u00a0next five in Oklahoma City.\u00a0 Sure, Golden State has to win a game in OKC, but does anyone really think that the 73-9 regular season Warriors are now doubting they can\u2019t do that?\u00a0 No, pressure is squarely on the Thunder the next two games, both must win\u00a0contests for them.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t look for a blowout by either team on Sunday night, but if the Warriors win, the Tuesday game will put the pressure on OKC unlike any game in this series.\u00a0 It would not surprise me to see Golden State take both of these two upcoming games.\u00a0 \u00a0 As already stated, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant have to get their best playing shoes tied up for coming through with two straight wins in OKC.\u00a0\u00a0 A telling fact that if they do pull off the double, it will be the first time this season the Warriors will have lost two straight.\u00a0 A game three\u00a0or four win\u00a0could be enough for Golden State to take this series and meet the Cleveland Cavs in the NBA Finals.\u00a0 For Oklahoma City, a sweep in these two games are a must for them to move on.<\/p>\n

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Stephen Curry (30) puts up a shot defended by Steven Adams (12) in the first half as the Golden State Warriors played the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Sports fans, especially those that belong to the\u00a0Oklahoma City Thunder nation, any thought of\u00a0this team\u00a0off…<\/p>\n

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