NBA Summer League 2021: Golden State Warriors vs OKC Thunder Prediction & Match Preview | August 13th, 2021
The Golden State Warriors will go head-to-head with the OKC Thunder in a 2021 NBA Summer League game on Friday, August 13.
The Golden State Warriors are coming off a 90-84 win over the Toronto Raptors, and are now 1-1 in the Las Vegas leg of the NBA Summer League. Meanwhile, the OKC Thunder lost their last game 80-65 to the New Orleans Pelicans and will be looking to go 2-1 when they take to the court on August 13th.
Match Details
Fixture - Golden State Warriors vs OKC Thunder | NBA Summer League 2021.
Date & Time - Friday, August 13th, 2021, 7:00 PM ET (Saturday, 4:30 AM IST).
Venue - Cox Pavilion, Las Vegas, NV.
Golden State Warriors Preview
Dub Nation's summer squad was flawless in the win against the Toronto Raptors, with Jonathan Kuminga stealing the show on the night and Moses Moody and Gary Payton II chipping in with 14 and 13 points, respectively.
Kuminga, the 7th overall pick in this year's NBA Draft, scored a game-high 18 points along with four rebounds and two steals.
Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Damion Lee were in attendance to witness the Golden State Warriors' emphatic triumph, and are likely to be present in Friday's affair as well.
The Warriors will rely on Kuminga, Moody's scoring, and Gary Payton II's playmaking prowess to win the game against OKC Thunder.
Key Player - Jonathan Kuminga
The Golden State Warriors surprised the NBA fraternity by not trading their draft picks this year for established stars. They picked Jonathan Kuminga of G League Ignite with the 7th overall pick, and it's early days, but the forward has looked every inch an NBA player so far.
Kuminga's athleticism and scoring ability make him a standout in this class, and it was on full display in the game against the Toronto Raptors.
He will be the Golden State Warriors' main threat against the OKC Thunder.
Golden State Warriors predicted lineup
G - Gary Payton II, G - Moses Moody, F - Justinian Jessup, F - Jonathan Kuminga, C - Salom Mawugbe
Also Read: NBA Rumors: Dennis Schroder in state of shock as he ponders over one-year offer from Boston Celtics
OKC Thunder preview
The OKC Thunder's streaky shooting let them down in the game against the New Orleans Pelicans. The young Thunder team shot just 33 percent from the floor, hitting 25 out of 75 attempts. OKC Thunder's last pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Aaron Wiggins, was the standout performer with 13 points.
Theo Maledon and Tre Mann had disappointing evenings, shooting 2-11 and 4-15 from the field, respectively. Free throws are another area where the OKC Thunder need to work on, as they were only able to convert eight of their 15 shots from the charity stripe.
Key Player - Theo Maledon
French international Theo Maledon had a noteworthy 2020-21 campaign with the OKC Thunder, registering a stat line of 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists per game along with a steal. He averaged 27 minutes per game in 65 matches played in Mark Daigneault's side, and is expected to be a key contributor in the 2021-22 season as well.
Maledon is the OKC Thunder's best player in the summer league team, and he will want to emulate the 15-point, 11-assist performance against the Detroit Pistons in the opener.
OKC Thunder predicted lineup
G - Theo Maledon, G - Tre Mann, F - Jaylen Hoard, F - Charlie Brown Jr., C - Jeremiah Robinson-Carl
Warriors vs Thunder prediction
Both sides are 1-1 in the competition, and there is little to separate them in terms of talent. The Golden State Warriors have been an offensive-driven team, while the OKC Thunder's offense failed them in their last game.
The Warriors go into the game as slight favorites and should prevail by a narrow margin.
Where to Watch Warriors vs Thunder
The Golden State Warriors vs OKC Thunder game will be televised on ESPN2 Fans can also stream the game online via the NBA League Pass.
Also Read: Who has the most expensive NBA contract? We take a look at the top 5 as of August 2021!