In a scintillating offensive showdown, the Golden State Warriors secured a 141-139 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder in their first in-season tournament game. The Dubs extended their road winning streak and now hold a 5-1 record in the early season, positioning themselves firmly in second place in the Western Conference.

Right from the opening tip, both teams engaged in a scoring frenzy, with baskets exchanged continuously throughout the first quarter. The Warriors’ offense operated at full throttle, but the Thunder seemed unstoppable, consistently finding the mark with their shots. While Golden State’s defensive efforts were not at their best, even their successful defensive possessions were met with buckets from the explosive young Thunder players, such as Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.

As has been the pattern this season, the game began to shift in favor of the Warriors when coach Steve Kerr called upon his bench players. Dario Šarić caught fire, sinking three shots from beyond the arc during the quarter and finishing the period with a team-leading 11 points. Chris Paul brought a composed presence to the court. The exhilarating first quarter ended with the Warriors holding a 38-33 lead. Šarić concluded the game with 20 points.

The Thunder’s offensive prowess persisted into the second quarter. They maintained their scoring spree from all areas of the court, while the Warriors responded with their fair share of baskets. However, Golden State was plagued by turnovers, often leading to easy scoring opportunities for the Thunder.

Nonetheless, the Warriors showcased excellent ball movement and a touch of Steph Curry’s brilliance, amassing 31 points in the second quarter. Although Klay Thompson’s buzzer-beating three-point attempt was waved off after a video review showed the ball still in his hands as time expired, Golden State held a 69-67 lead at halftime.

Any hopes of taming the Thunder’s offensive firepower in the second half were dashed by Lu Dort, who was nearly perfect, going 9-for-9 from the field, including 6-for-6 from beyond the arc, and accumulating 16 points by the end of the third quarter. However, the Warriors’ offense continued to keep pace.

In the fourth quarter, the Warriors found themselves trailing 127-125 at the halfway mark. Both teams maintained their extraordinary offensive tempo. Golden State’s ability to create second-chance opportunities, largely due to Andrew Wiggins’ increased aggressiveness on the boards, kept them within striking distance. Klay Thompson’s game-tying three-pointer with a few minutes left in regulation was a pivotal moment. Thompson only needed 10 field-goal attempts to score 18 points.

The final minutes of the game witnessed a decline in offensive productivity for both teams. However, Williams made a bank shot and converted a free throw to give the Thunder a 136-133 lead. A driving layup by Curry in the final minute brought Golden State within one point. Subsequently, Gary Payton II forced a critical steal, picked up by Thompson, who was immediately fouled.

The Warriors, already in the bonus, took full advantage of the opportunity. Thompson sunk both free throws, granting Golden State a 137-136 lead with 38.8 seconds left.

Following a timeout, the Thunder isolated Holmgren on Draymond Green. Holmgren, playing only his sixth career game, drove inside and drew a blocking foul with 32.5 seconds remaining. He made both attempts, giving Oklahoma City a 138-137 lead.

Rather than running down the clock, Green made a swift drive inside. The Thunder’s defense, focused on preventing Curry from taking the decisive shot, left an open path for GPII to the basket. Green quickly passed the ball to Payton, who executed an alley-oop layup.

Dort drew another foul at the other end but managed to split the free throws. Therefore, the Warriors possessed the ball with 16.4 seconds remaining in a 139-139 tie game.

Inbounding the ball to Curry, the superstar guard waited until there were eight seconds left to make his move. He executed a crossover, bypassing Dort, but Holmgren attempted to block the shot. In an incredible display of skill, Curry released a layup over Holmgren’s outstretched hands, which banked off the backboard and into the net.

Although the referees had initially called basket interference on Green, review footage revealed that Josh Giddey had touched the net before Green’s contact with the rim. As a result, the basket counted, securing the Warriors’ thrilling victory.

Steph Curry concluded the game with 28 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals, shooting 8-for-14 from the field, including 5-for-10 from beyond the arc. Jonathan Kuminga contributed 19 points off the bench, with 18 from Klay Thompson, 17 from Andrew Wiggins, and 15 from Draymond Green. Chris Paul, though scoring only one point, tallied an impressive 13 assists with no turnovers.

The Warriors continue their journey through the eastern time zone, with their next game scheduled against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday at 3:00 PM Pacific.