It’s safe to say opening night at the shiny new Chase Center in San Francisco didn’t quite go as planned, for the Warriors at least. For the Clippers, it was the second straight decisive victory during tip-off week to start their new era and announce their arrival as the prohibitive team in the West.
As for the Warriors, it was a reminder of just how far they have to go to stay competitive this season, given their many personnel losses over the summer. Steph Curry, who they’ll lean on heavily to manufacture points in a severely stripped down offense, struggled all night, going just 8-for-20 from the field overall and 2-for-11 from downtown. D’Angelo Russell was likewise just 6-for-16 on the night.
But don’t chalk this up to just opening night malaise. Steve Kerr understands that his team will struggle this season to solve a puzzle they’ve never quite faced before during his era.
“This is not a one-off, this is the reality,” Kerr said. “There’s going to be nights like this this year. You’ve got to play through it, you’ve got to keep fighting and keep getting better. That’s the plan.”
Draymond Green also didn’t mince words about how his team performed against the Clippers on Thursday. It’s just one game, so it’s important not to overreact too much, but it’s clear the Warriors have plenty of work to do if they want to stay afloat in the West this year.
(Via ESPN)
