The Golden State Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday gave the NBA exactly what it wanted out of the inaugural In-Season Tournament — playoff-caliber intensity early in the season.
Stephen Curry scored 30 points, including the winning layup with 0.2 seconds left, to help the Warriors defeat the Thunder 141-139.
Initially, Curry’s final shot was ruled no good because of offensive goaltending against Draymond Green. The call was overturned and the Warriors held on.
Photo: AP
Green said the call was overturned because he touched the rim and not the ball.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault also said that was the explanation he was given.
Green said the NBA has created something good.
Photo: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY
“You just saw two teams competing,” he said. “We talk about this in the season tournament, and — it’s a playoff game. It was a fun game to play and intensity level is there. So job well done to the NBA having his type of excitement in November because there be some dark days in November, but games like this? You can appreciate them.”
The crowd was loud throughout, especially when foul calls involved Green.
“You know, this crowd tends to go at me quite a bit, but we usually win, so it’s all right,” he said. “But this is a great crowd. Honestly, I love coming to play here. Crowd brings it every time. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a game here and the crowd wasn’t in it. They bring it every single night. And so it’s always a fun place to come and play.”
Dario Saric scored 20 points, while Chris Paul had 13 assists and no turnovers for Golden State, who improved to 5-1.
The Warriors claimed their second straight last-second victory. On Wednesday, Klay Thompson scored with less than a second remaining to seal a win over the Sacramento Kings.
Lu Dort scored 29 points, Chet Holmgren scored 24 on seven for nine shooting and Josh Giddey scored 14 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter for the Thunder.
Golden State hit seven threes in the first quarter to take a 38-33 lead. Saric scored 11 points as a reserve in the period.
Curry threw a no-look lob from beyond the three-point line to Gary Payton II for a dunk that gave the Warriors a 50-44 lead. Golden State hit six three-pointers in the second quarter to lead 69-67 at halftime. Thompson’s leaning three-pointer at the buzzer that would have made it a five-point lead was called no good on the floor, and that ruling held up after review.
Dort scored 11 points in just over four minutes at the start of the third quarter to give the Thunder an 85-80 lead. The Warriors rallied, and the game was tied at 106 heading into the fourth quarter.
Oklahoma City’s Isaiah Joe hit a three-pointer and was fouled with 9 minutes, 15 seconds to go. He made the free throw to give the Thunder a 118-115 lead and the game remained close the rest of the way.
In Denver, Colorado, Nikola Jokic scored 33 points and went 14 of 16 from the field as the Nuggets held off the Dallas Mavericks 125-114 to open the In-Season Tournament.
“What I marvel at is just the consistency,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “I mean, the guy is just great every night... He’s just a great player. I just love how he impacts the game in every way, shape and form. It’s really the definition of greatness.”
It was the first In-Season Tournament game for each team.
The Nuggets and the Mavericks are in West Group B with the Los Angeles Clippers, the New Orleans Pelicans, the Mavericks and the Houston Rockets. The six group winners make the quarter-finals, along with a pair of wild-card teams — the two best second-place finishers from the groups.
The quarter-finals are scheduled for Dec. 4 and 5, while the semi-finals are set for Dec. 7 in Las Vegas and the title game on Dec. 9 in Las Vegas.
The five other games on Friday were also part of the new tournament.
Elsewhere on Friday, it was:
‧ Bucks 110, Knicks 105
‧ Bulls 107, Nets 109
‧ Heat 121, Wizards 114
‧ Pacers 121, Cavaliers 116
‧ Trail Blazers 115, Grizzlies 113
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