Schroder leads OKC in rout of Warriors
OAKLAND, CALIF. — Dennis Schroder knocked down a deep 3-pointer in the fourth quarter and turned away emotionless, striding to the opposite side of the court without celebration.
In a 123-95 win over the Warriors on Wednesday, Schroder scored 32 points on 19 shots, leading the Thunder in scoring. He went 5-of-6 from beyond the arc, setting a career high in 3-pointers.
The game before, a loss at Sacramento on Monday, Schoder said to put the loss on him. He had shot 3-of-17 from the field, but he certainly wasn’t the only OKC player who had a poor shooting game.
He said he came in with something extra Wednesday.
“Everybody knew we didn’t have a good game in Sac,” Schroder said, “and we just tried to make it up, and I think we did it.”
Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook kept feeding Schroder in a second quarter in which he rained down 14 points. After a back-and-fourth first quarter, the Thunder outscored the Warriors 37-28, including an 8-0 run powered by Schroder. The Thunder didn’t shoot particularly well in that stretch, but they played good enough defense to give Schroder a chance to sink three jump shots.
“He played well,” Westbrook said. “He was aggressive and made plays, scored the basketball.”
The Warriors chipped away at the Thunder’s lead, opening the third quarter on an 8-2 run. But again the Thunder righted the ship with good defense, featuring Patrick Patterson guarding Kevin Durant at the end of the third quarter.
In the Warriors’ last possession of the period, Patterson faced Durant, who finished the night with 27 points, at the perimeter. The Warriors star pulled up, and Patterson’s hand shot up. Durant’s shot missed for the second time in that possession. Schroder grabbed the rebound, and the buzzer announced the end of the third quarter.
OKC held the Golden State to 16 points in the final period.
The game was marred by injuries. Terrance Ferguson left the first quarter with a left ankle sprain. Nerlens Noel had to have five stitches on his face, but he returned to the game.
Hamidou Diallo had to be rolled off the court on a stretcher in the fourth quarter after suffering a left leg injury. After the game, Warriors team physicians ruled out any severe lower body injuries, according to a team spokesperson.
Thunder coach Billy Donovan said OKC’s ability to weather absences this week was a testament to the team’s depth.
“We’re running out of it though.”