Thunder sapped from Warriors-OKC rivalry, but memories remain
Draymond Green recounted memories — good and bad — from past Warriors'
trips to Oklahoma City
>Golden State’s Draymond Green (23) reacts after a 3-point basket
during the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the
Golden State Warriors at Chesapeake Energy Arena, Saturday, March 16,
2019. (Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman)
>Golden State’s Draymond Green (23) reacts after a 3-point basket
during the NBA basketball game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the
Golden State Warriors at Chesapeake Energy Arena, Saturday, March 16,
2019. (Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman)
By EVAN WEBECK | ewebeck@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: October 26, 2021 at 1:20 p.m. | UPDATED: October 26, 2021 at
2:06 p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/10/26/thunder-sapped-from-warriors-okc-rivalry-but-memories-remain/

OKLAHOMA CITY — As Draymond Green joked Monday about putting another
bottle of expensive French wine on owner Joe Lacob’s tab — the
celebration for Stephen Curry’s franchise scoring record he set here
almost a year ago — he couldn’t help but think of other memories that
this town has provided him and the Warriors, for better or worse.

There was Stephen Curry’s game-winner for the ages. Klay Thompson’s
larger-than-life performance in Game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference
Finals. And then the Warriors returning the next season with Oklahoma
City’s star in tow.

However, the thunder has quieted in the once-intense rivalry as Oklahoma
City exchanged its stars for an array of future first-round draft picks.
When Golden State — still “chasing wins” while attempting to build for
the future, too — paid its first visit this season to the site of many
of those memories, that’s all those moments had been reduced to:
figments of the past.

“KD’s first game back here, that (expletive) was fun,” Green recalled
from a folding chair on the baseline under a Paycom Center basket
Monday. “Not sure how fun it was for KD. But it was definitely fun for me.”

The Warriors needed a police escort to serve as a buffer from hostile
fans on their way back to their hotel after Durant dropped 34 points as
the Warriors dismantled his former team in his return to OKC.

“That was sick. That was a good memory,” Green said, before taking a
brief pause. “I also have a very bad memory of OKC.”

The Warriors were back in the same visiting locker room that was the
site of Green’s audible argument with coach Steve Kerr at halftime of
their Feb. 27, 2016, visit.

Fortunately for Green, Curry’s last-second 40-footer overshadowed his
histrionics.

Maybe, then, there’s a reason Kerr defaulted to two other moments when
asked about his memories in this arena.

“Klay’s game,” he responded, almost instantaneously. “And the KD return.
Those are the two games that will always stand out in my mind coming
into this building. … Those were two of the most intense atmospheres.
The Klay game was one of the most incredible individual performances
I’ve ever seen, and Kevin’s return here was just really emotional.”

He had to be reminded of Curry’s heroics.

“That has to be on the list, too,” Kerr said.

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There wasn’t much on-court drama when the Warriors visited last season,
but the game did provide another milestone for Curry. He passed Wilt
Chamberlain for the franchise scoring record, and celebrated later that
night with a bottle of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche, a French
wine that fetches at least $5,000 a bottle.

Green and Klay Thompson joined, and Lacob picked up the tab.

On this trip, the bottle going on Lacob’s tab was in honor of Curry’s
inclusion on the NBA’s 75th anniversary team. It could have been for a
number of other reasons: Curry’s milestone 5,000th assist, for one, or
his 17th career player of the week honor after posting three
double-doubles during the opening salvo of the season.

“Klay and Joe didn’t make the trip, (so) they can’t partake in the
bottle,” Green said. “So me and Steph will enjoy a bottle of DRC
tonight. It’s going on Joe’s tab.”

--
Evan Webeck | Reporter
Evan Webeck covers high-school sports on the field and beyond — and a
little bit of everything else — for the Bay Area News Group. A Pacific
Northwest native and graduate of Arizona State, Evan has previously
worked for The Seattle Times, MLB.com and Sports Illustrated.