Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
They are light years behind.
“This is not a one-off. This is the reality,” Steve Kerr warned after the Warriors’ season-opening blowout loss to the Clippers. If Kerr winds up struggling with his coaching, at least his forecasting is accurate.
The Warriors got destroyed again Sunday, two games into the season and two routs in which they were on the wrong side of the hyphen. In Oklahoma City, it was 120-92 in a tilt that was not nearly that close. Golden State actually won the second half, but the first half more resembled a varsity and JV squad facing off. At least the Bay has the 49ers?
What was the ugliest moment? The end of the first half, when Stephen Curry (23 points, -30 plus/minus) tossed up a 30-foot prayer more out of desperation than Curry ingenuity? Back came Chris Paul, who calmly swished through a 3 to double up the Warriors, 70-35, with still seconds left to play in the second quarter.
How about D’Angelo Russell’s third-quarter shenanigans? The biggest offseason addition for the previously perennial title favorites drove through the lane with 7:33 left and got bumped by Paul, with no whistle blown. The Golden State guard bounced off Paul and finished lefty from the right side without a call, but as soon as he hit the ground he got into the face of official James Williams, and after the first technical, Russell just kept barking until he got the second to knock him out.
The Warriors were down 79-47 at the time; if the Warriors were no-shows, Russell almost made it literal.
Throughout, the Warriors had no answers defensively, allowing a team that had averaged 90 points through two games to explode for 70 just in the first half. The Warriors had no Kevon Mooney, Alec Burks and Willie Caulie-Stein, and they played like a team still searching for whom to turn to. Curry is the answer, but he is used to making the extra pass, a style of play that might have to be reevaluated soon.
For the most part, effort was not in question. Talent and cohesion were. And when the Thunder can put five guys in double figures, led by Dennis Schroder’s 22, garbage time will come early.
If there were a bright spot in the grave darkness for the Warriors, it was the brief Omari Spellman show in the fourth quarter, an assist followed by a few midrange jumpers. The Warriors won the period, 24-15 — a difficult silver lining to fathom for a team that has reached such heights.