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The Golden State Warriors will begin their grueling six-game road trip tonight in Oklahoma City, as they take on the reigning champions at the Paycom Center. So far, the Dubs have been getting bodied on the road, losing each of their last five away games. In fact, their only road victory came on the opening night against the Lakers when Jimmy Butler erupted for 31 points. That’s a concerning sign if we’ve ever seen one, especially when there are questions over their superstar point guard, Stephen Curry, who is dealing with an illness. The veteran sharpshooter has not played in the last three games, and without him, his team has visibly struggled, picking up 2 losses except for their latest win against a weak Indiana. So, will he suit up tonight? ADVERTISEMENT Is Stephen Curry playing tonight against the Thunder? Even though Curry is still recovering from his illness, after Golden State’s most recent win against the Pacers, Steve Kerr gave an encouraging update on the four-time NBA champion. When asked about his status, Kerr said, “We’re expecting Steph to be back Tuesday.” This is massive news for the Warriors, who’ll definitely need Curry’s support tonight. Curry’s return boosts the Warriors’ confidence because, before getting ill, the 37-year-old was playing at a pretty high level. He was averaging a team-high 26.8 points along with 3.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists. While in Curry’s absence, rookie guard Will Richard did a pretty good job of being the team’s focal point, but he can now be Curry’s backup against the Thunder. While that clears the air around Curry, there’s still a lot that the Dubs need to worry about. ADVERTISEMENT OKC Thunder vs Golden State Warriors injury reports before tonight’s heavyweight clash Although Stephen Curry is ready to take the floor tonight following his three-game hiatus, several Warriors stars won’t be available for tonight’s game. This includes the likes of Alex Toohey and De’Anthony Melton, both of whom are yet to make their first appearance this season. While Toohey has been ruled out with a knee injury, Melton continues to recover from his ACL injury. ADVERTISEMENT Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports Apart from these two, veteran center Al Horford is also listed out for this game. The former NBA champion is dealing with a toe injury. As for the Thunder, they will continue to miss a significant number of superstars. The likes of Jalen Williams, Aaron Wiggins, and Luguentz Dort all will be watching the game from the sidelines tonight. While J-Dub continues to recover from his wrist injury, Wiggins and Dort are dealing with thigh and shoulder issues, respectively. However, OKC’s injury troubles don’t end with these three stars, as there’s more to their injury list. Kenrich Williams is also out for tonight’s clash with a knee injury. Meanwhile, Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber have been ruled out for the remainder of the season. While the youngster Topic has been unfortunately diagnosed with testicular cancer, Sorber has sustained an ACL injury. ADVERTISEMENT The defending champions currently boast a league-best 10-1 record despite all these absences. It just goes to show how good the Thunder are. Also, it paints a good picture of how much effort will be required from Stephen Curry and Co. if they want to start their road trip with a win. Speaking of which, which players will feature for both teams? ADVERTISEMENT Thunder vs Warriors predicted starting lineups Here’s how the Golden State Warriors could start: And, here’s how the OKC Thunder could start: When and where to watch this game Game preview and prediction Given the record, it is evident that the OKC Thunder have the upper hand. Whether you talk about current form or team chemistry, the reigning champions are the favorites for this game tonight. Also, even though Stephen Curry will play tonight, there’s a good chance he might be a bit rusty, having missed the last three games. However, the Dubs might just pull off an upset, as we eagerly await tip-off.
