Tuesday sees a battle of NBA heavyweights as the defending NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder travel west to take on the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco.
It is a clash between Western Conference powerhouses, though they have had different starts to the 2025/26 season. The Thunder boast an NBA-best 20-1 record and sit atop the Western Conference, while the Warriors have struggled to an 11-10 mark.
That .524 winning percentage slots the Warriors as the eighth-best team in the West, which is the final playoff spot. This is a team that needs to go on a run, and quickly, and their home fans will be hoping that Tuesday is the day that run begins.
Here is a look ahead at the contest.
Golden State Warriors VS OKC Thunder Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco
Golden State Warriors VS OKC Thunder Date: Tuesday, December 2
Golden State Warriors VS OKC Thunder Odds (Winner):
History
The Thunder this season are emulating the 2015/16 Warriors with their astonishing 20-1 record to start the season. It is the best start to an NBA campaign since that team, a team that finished with a 73-9 record, the best in NBA history.
This will be the second meeting of the season between the two squads. The Thunder hammered the Warriors by 24 on November 11, a statement win in a season full of significant victories.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors will be without franchise legend Steph Curry for this one as he continues to recover from a left quad injury. This is obviously a significant blow with Curry leading the Dubs in points per game so far this season.
His 27.9 PPG will be missed, but it will be important not to rush back the 37-year-old. This is an aging and undersized roster, one that Curry is already being asked to do too much to lead.
Expect to see the Warriors lean more on Jimmy Butler III to cover for Curry. He is a player filling the stat sheet and is one of only six players in the NBA averaging at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists per game while shooting at an efficient clip over 50% from the field.
OKC Thunder
Jalen Williams will be looking to make an impact during only his third game of the season. He returned from a wrist injury last week, with the wing set to reestablish himself as one of the Thunder’s go-to scorers.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to be clutch. The former Kentucky standout rattled off 26 points on Sunday night as the Thunder beat Portland 123-115. SGA figured out how to grow into the game, with 26 points, including a scoring streak in the fourth, as he took over when it mattered most.
Best Bets
Hard to go against the Thunder given their dominance. They have some injury issues, but they should win against a Warriors team without its best player.
I am looking at a bet builder here, as there is no value in a Thunder win alone. Taking the red-hot Thunder to win and score more than 155.5 points pays 33/50 with BetXchange.
