After Thompson returned to the court, the Thunder indeed stopped daring to double-team Durant.
But the score was now 49–35, and the Warriors were still down by 14.
With McGee on the floor, the Thunder stopped focusing exclusively on attacking the interior and went back to their usual game plan.
Donovan took advantage of a dead ball to put Chen Xi back in.
The Thunder resumed their mismatch-hunting strategy.
Out on the perimeter, Chen Xi repeatedly used pick-and-rolls to target players like Cook and Jordan Bell.
After giving up six straight points, Kerr brought Green and Livingston in, sending the two young players back to the bench.
Faced with the Thunder's relentless onslaught, Kerr had no choice but to extend his starters' minutes.
At halftime, the Thunder led 64–51, a 13-point advantage.
"Looks like the Warriors are in serious trouble."
"Yeah. Curry's absence is having a huge impact on them."
In Penguin Sports' livestream, two commentators discussed the game, explaining the problems to the fans.
"Against an opponent like the Thunder, being without a core player is a serious problem. Curry's injury came at a terrible time. Maybe they should've played a few more games in the first round and waited for him to come back."
"Right. The Warriors have always been proud of their depth. They're elite from top to bottom: a strong starting lineup and a strong bench. But now they've run into the Thunder, a team with the same strengths."
"Exactly. Look: you've got four stars, and if you count Little Sabonis, I've got four too. You've got Iguodala; I've got Wade. You've got Livingston; I've got Harris. And I've got more shooters than you. McDermott, Grant—they can all shoot. And what's the key? They can defend, too. Defense means you're better suited to the playoff environment.