It’s become a common theme with Warriors games in the Stephen Curry era. With every powerhouse team, any potential star matchup or any game that’s nationally televised always comes with a “must-see TV” tag. The Warriors have been the best show in the NBA for years, and Thunder-Warriors on Thursday night had all the pre-game hype that such a matchup would warrant.
Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were healthy once again, and despite Andrew Bogut being out indefinitely, this was poised to be a wild night. This game wasn’t supposed to be entertaining for the frontcourts, and with the former MVP and two candidates for the same award on the floor, all bets were off. The Warriors were already coming off an intense matchup in Memphis, nearly clawing their way to their 17th straight victory. Could they avoid their second losing streak of the season?
The first half was something out of a psychotic fantasy basketball utopia, as both teams combined to shoot 53% from the floor for 128 points, 17 threes and a frantic pace only fit for Oracle Arena. The Warriors missed both Durant and Westbrook in their first meeting, relying on Mo Speights for 28 points off the bench in a surprisingly close game. That game was sluggish, stale and despite a similar result, the process couldn’t be more different.
“A few breaks here and there I think we started the game off really well physically,” said Durant. “I had my shot going a little bit.” I’d say. Durant only missed one of his seven shots in the first stanza, going for 16 points. His not so subtle reminder of his MVP caliber dominance can be summed up in a 48 second run, where he hit three consecutive treys on three straight possessions. The crowd was silenced, but it carried a collective groan at greatness only reserved for the greatest of players.
Never to be outdone, Westbrook himself had 13 points in the first quarter, but it took him three more shots in three more 
minutes than his MVP counterpart. Always preferring the shine, Westbrook was forced to play second fiddle to Durant, as he carried his dominance throughout the first half. The second quarter went to the Warriors, but Durant still had 14 points and an unlucky ankle roll, which would cause him to miss the rest of the game.
It was unfortunate, as the first half was the most entertaining half of basketball anyone could witness live. The MVP was playing up to his title, superstars were going back-and-forth, a high scoring, frenetic pace and yet in one quick drive it was all taken away. Durant would miss the second half with a mild right ankle sprain, but “they had to convince me not to play,” said Durant.