This will be the third banner night/ring ceremony for Golden State in the past four years. They won their first title in 2015 and then to start the 2015-16 campaign beat the visiting New Orleans Pelicans 111-95. Golden State won it all again in 2017 and tipped off the 2017-18 season with a wild 122-121 home loss to the Houston Rockets in what would be a preview of the Western Conference Finals. The Warriors repeated this past June against Cleveland.

NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis

About the only thing this incredibly talented team hasn’t accomplished yet is a threepeat, and all the players have said publicly that’s their clear goal this season.  The Warriors are the clear -175 favourites at Sports Interaction to add another championship come June.

Golden State lost a few bench pieces this offseason but still has Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green – other teams just can’t match that level of talent. Plus, the Warriors added All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins in free agency, which almost isn’t fair. Cousins, though, won’t be ready to play for a while after tearing his Achilles’ tendon last season with the New Orleans Pelicans. Barring major injury, it’s hard to see how the Warriors don’t threepeat.

The Warriors and Thunder split four regular-season games last year. Golden State has covered nine of the past 11 overall in the series.

Oklahoma City Thunder

The big question for OKC on Tuesday is whether superstar Russell Westbrook, the only player in league history to average a triple-double in back-to-back seasons, will play. He had a procedure done on his knee last month. You know the hyper-competitive Westbrook wants to play against his former teammate Durant, but the Thunder are going to be very cautious. It would be a minor surprise if Westbrook plays. Oklahoma City already has lost starting guard Andre Roberson until probably at least Christmas to knee surgery. He’s awful offensively but one of the NBA’s top perimeter defenders.

The Thunder’s big offseason move, other than re-signing Paul George, was trading Carmelo Anthony to Atlanta. OKC’s primary piece back was point guard Dennis Schroder, who should start if Westbrook sits.

Golden State Warriors

How loaded are the Warriors? At full strength, they might not be an underdog all season, but certainly Steve Kerr is going to rest some of his stars in occasional games just to ensure full health once the playoff roll around.

Some around the league do believe this could be the last stand in one regard for this club because Durant can be a free agent again next summer and there’s chatter he might to go to the New York Knicks, where Durant can be the clear alpha dog. He’s one of the best players in history but really never has been the clear-cut main guy playing alongside Westbrook and now Curry. This is the Warriors’ last opener in Oakland as they are moving across the bay to a new arena in San Francisco next season.

Injuries

Oklahoma City

Hamidou Diallo (SG)

Out indefinitely Elbow - 14 / 04 / 19

Nerlens Noel (PF)

Prob Wed Quadricep - 18 / 03 / 19

Markieff Morris (PF)

Prob Sat Neck - 16 / 03 / 19

Markieff Morris (PF)

Out Thurs Neck - 12 / 03 / 19

Markieff Morris (PF)

Ques Fri Neck - 20 / 02 / 19

Dennis Schroder (PG)

Prob Fri Personal - 11 / 02 / 19

Jerami Grant (SF)

Prob Fri Ankle - 10 / 02 / 19

Alex Abrines (SG)

Out Sat Personal - 06 / 02 / 19

Abdel Nader (SF)

Prob Tues Illness - 03 / 02 / 19

Terrance Ferguson (SG)

Ques Fri Back - 29 / 01 / 19

Golden State

Kevon Looney (C)

Prob Thurs Collarbone - 11 / 06 / 19

Kevon Looney (C)

Ques Fri Collarbone - 02 / 06 / 19

Andre Iguodala (SF)

Prob Sun Calf - 31 / 05 / 19

Shaun Livingston (PG)

Prob Thurs Knee - 27 / 05 / 19

Andre Iguodala (SF)

Prob Thurs Calf - 19 / 05 / 19

Kevon Looney (C)

Prob Thurs Knee - 15 / 05 / 19

Andre Iguodala (SF)

Prob Wed Knee - 07 / 05 / 19

Shaun Livingston (PG)

Prob Wed Hip - 07 / 05 / 19

Draymond Green (PF)

Prob Wed Wrist - 21 / 04 / 19

DeMarcus Cousins (C)

Prob Thurs Quadricep - 16 / 04 / 19

Injuries

Oklahoma City

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Hamidou Diallo (SG)	Out indefinitely	Elbow - 14 / 04 / 19	2-3	2-3	+ -
Diallo is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow and it is unknown if he will return during the playoffs.
Nerlens Noel (PF)	Prob Wed	Quadricep - 18 / 03 / 19	7-10	8-8-1	+ -
Noel was held out of the previous game with a left quadriceps contusion but is likely to play against the Raptors on Wednesday.
Markieff Morris (PF)	Prob Sat	Neck - 16 / 03 / 19	7-11	8-9-1	+ -
Morris is dealing with a neck issue but will likely be available for Saturday's matchup against the Warriors.
Markieff Morris (PF)	Out Thurs	Neck - 12 / 03 / 19	9-12	8-12-1	+ -
Morris was held out of the previous contest with soreness in his neck and will not play against the Pacers on Thursday.
Markieff Morris (PF)	Ques Fri	Neck - 20 / 02 / 19	10-20	12-17-1	+ -
Morris is sidelined with a neck injury and it is unknown if he will make his team debut Friday against the Jazz.
Dennis Schroder (PG)	Prob Fri	Personal - 11 / 02 / 19	12-20	12-19-1	+ -
Schroder has sat out the past two games due to the birth of his child but is expected back Friday against the Jazz.
Jerami Grant (SF)	Prob Fri	Ankle - 10 / 02 / 19	13-20	12-20-1	+ -
Grant has missed the previous two games with a right ankle sprain. It is expected he will be available against the Jazz on Friday.
Alex Abrines (SG)	Out Sat	Personal - 06 / 02 / 19	14-21	14-20-1	+ -
Abrines was absent from the lineup during the last game due to a personal matter and he will not play against the Rockets on Saturday.
Abdel Nader (SF)	Prob Tues	Illness - 03 / 02 / 19	15-21	15-20-1	+ -
Nader sat out the previous game due to illness but is expected to be available against the Magic on Tuesday.
Terrance Ferguson (SG)	Ques Fri	Back - 29 / 01 / 19	17-21	16-21-1	+ -
Ferguson was absent from the lineup during the last game due to mid-back spasms and it is unclear if he will be available against the Heat on Friday.

Golden State

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Kevon Looney (C)	Prob Thurs	Collarbone - 11 / 06 / 19	0-1	0-2	+ -
Looney is expected to play in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Raptors despite leaving the last game after aggravating his right first costal cartilage non-displaced fracture.
Kevon Looney (C)	Ques Fri	Collarbone - 02 / 06 / 19	1-3	3-2	+ -
Looney suffered a right first costal cartilage non-displaced fracture to his collarbone and it is unknown if he will return against the Raptors in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
Andre Iguodala (SF)	Prob Sun	Calf - 31 / 05 / 19	1-3	4-2	+ -
Iguodala is nursing left calf soreness but it is likely he will play against the Raptors in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
Shaun Livingston (PG)	Prob Thurs	Knee - 27 / 05 / 19	1-3	4-2	+ -
Livingston is expected to play against the Raptors in Game 1 of the NBA Finals despite a sore left knee.
Andre Iguodala (SF)	Prob Thurs	Calf - 19 / 05 / 19	2-4	5-3	+ -
Iguodala is dealing with tightness in his left calf but is expected to be available for Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Raptors.
Kevon Looney (C)	Prob Thurs	Knee - 15 / 05 / 19	4-4	6-4	+ -
Looney is likely to partake in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals against the Trail Blazers despite left knee soreness.
Andre Iguodala (SF)	Prob Wed	Knee - 07 / 05 / 19	4-7	7-5-1	+ -
Iguodala has a hyperextended left knee but is expected to play in Game 5 of the Western Conference second round against the Rockets.
Shaun Livingston (PG)	Prob Wed	Hip - 07 / 05 / 19	4-7	7-5-1	+ -
Livingston is battling soreness in his left hip but is likely to suit up against the Rockets in Game 5 of the Western Conference second round.
Draymond Green (PF)	Prob Wed	Wrist - 21 / 04 / 19	7-10	11-7-1	+ -
Green is nursing a right wrist injury but is projected to suit up against the Clippers in Game 5 of the Western Conference first round.
DeMarcus Cousins (C)	Prob Thurs	Quadricep - 16 / 04 / 19	8-11	12-8-1	+ -
Cousins will be available for Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Raptors after recovering from a tear in his left quadriceps.

Thunder vs. Warriors Prediction