Tre Mann's Potential on Display in Oklahoma City's loss to the Warriors
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After scoring a franchise record 153 points on Saturday, Oklahoma City returned to earth in a big way Monday night. It was Golden State scoring in bunches, knocking off the Thunder 141-114 in a 3-point display.
The Warriors were without Steph Curry, but vintage Klay Thompson was there to save the day. In a game Thunder fans have seen one too many times, Thompson drilled 12-of-16 3-point attempts, good for 42 total points. Golden State’s second leading scorer, Jordan Poole, added 21 points but was able to distribute the ball to Thompson all night long with 12 assists.
As a team, the Thunder really struggled to defend the 3-point line and make any adjustments throughout the game. Golden State continued to run free on offense and weave around screens for long range buckets. The Warriors finished the night 26-for-50 from 3-point range and shot 57.7% overall from the floor. Oklahoma City didn’t have the firepower to match the Warriors outburst of triples.
Despite the loss, the Thunder had four players score 15 or more points. Here are the top performers from the deflating loss:
Josh Giddey
Despite the loss, Giddey had an effective and efficient game Tuesday night. The point guard tallied 15 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in 28 minutes of action. In the second half when Oklahoma City’s offense ran dry, Giddey took several pull-up jumpers that looked confident. He’s recorded double-digit points in 19 straight games and is expanding his role offensively for the Thunder.
Aaron Wiggins
Even though Oklahoma City no longer boasts the crazy stat about being undefeated when Aaron Wiggins is starting, his impact on the floor is still very obvious. He struggled to stay in front of Thompson coming off screens, but then again, who didn’t?
The Maryland product added 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting in 25 minutes of action. He knocked down two triples and was one of the Thunder’s main sources of consistency all night long.
Tre Mann
Mann’s inconsistencies have been prevalent throughout the season, but after his third straight game in double-figures, it looks like he’s starting to return to form.
Monday night, Mann led the bench unit with 18 points on 8-of-17 from the floor. He added two rebounds, an assist, and knocked down two triples. It was a very positive performance from Mann, who helped the Thunder take a lead in the first quarter after his flurry of points.
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