Programming note: Timberwolves-Warriors coverage starts Saturday at 7:00 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, and streaming live right here.
LOS ANGELES – For the second consecutive game, again in front of a national TV audience, the Warriors lost a point to the skeptics.
Their 100-86 loss to the Clippers on Christmas night at Staples Center was devoid of much of the intensity that has defined their rivalry as well as the tenacity that has epitomized the Warriors for the vast majority of the season.
[INSTANT REPLAY: Warriors outmuscled in loss to Clippers]
They played typically solid defense in stretches, particularly early, but mostly were without bite. The defense was atrocious during key moments of the fourth quarter.
They showed some offensive life early, only for it to fade as the game went on and die down the stretch.
And there was, above all, a total lack of urgency, of the level of determination they've previously shown and is required to win a championship.
"I'm disappointed that there was no fire," power forward Draymond Green said. "I'm disappointed that we didn't go at them. Although we missed shots, I don't think we went at them like we should have gone at them."
It was indeed somewhat surprising to see the Warriors being outfought by the Clippers, who were playing their fifth game in seven nights. Even to the Clippers.
"Neither team really shot the ball well," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "It really came down to mental toughness, having the ability to hang in there. And we did that."
The Warriors (23-5) dominated the opening minutes, going up 16-6, only to have Los Angeles roar back for an 18-18 tie before the end of the first quarter. This was after the Clippers survived a stretch in which they missed 17 consecutive shots.
"You shouldn't win a game when miss 17 in a row," TNT analyst Kenny Smith said after the national telecast.
That's not the worst of it. The Warriors responded and went up 10 in the second quarter. The Clippers clawed back to close it to 42-41 at the half.
"We had a chance to be up 15 at halftime," Warriors coach Steve Kerr lamented.
Down 73-70 entering the fourth quarter, the Warriors broke. Caved in. Capitulated. The Clippers (20-10) opened the final quarter with a 20-7 burst, finishing off their rivals from Oakland.
There was little energy, little positive activity and no sense that the Warriors were eager to seize this game.
"We just kind of got a little lax and gave up the lead," Stephen Curry said. "And that was tough to come back from."
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Having lost to the Lakers on Tuesday night at Staples, the Warriors are staring at consecutive losses for only the second time this season. They answered the first lull with a 16-game win streak.
It would wildly ambitious to expect another. But, yes, this qualifies as a lull.
"It happens to everybody," Kerr said. "You go through spells for whatever reason. Things change. Lineups change, injuries, whatever, fatigue. So you hit a rough patch and you've got to find a way to get back off the mat and get going again."
The Warriors return to Oakland for a six-game homestand. It's a chance to practice, to rededicate and to rediscover a rhythm. It's another opportunity to get up and stick it to the skeptics.
THE GOOD:
Green's defense on Blake Griffin, particularly in the first half, was nothing less than a tutorial on how to get inside somebody's shirt and head – simultaneously.
Against the imposing front line of DeAndre Jordan and Griffin, Harrison Barnes rebounded splendidly, finishing with a team-high 13.
David Lee continues to fine-tune his offense. He made all five of his shots to finish with 11 points.
THE BAD:
The fourth-quarter defense was abominable. The Clippers shot 58.8 percent, with Jamal Crawford scoring 12 of his game-high 24 points.
The Warriors hurt themselves with some horrible misses, notably a blown dunk by Barnes off a lob pass and another blown dunk by a driving Andre Iguodala.
The turnover bug once again reared its head. The Warriors committed 16, and some of them were downright ghastly.
THE TAKE:
The Warriors came to Los Angeles with the best record in the league and an opportunity to sweep the Lakers and Clippers, thereby establishing early-season supremacy within the state. They failed horribly in that quest, losing both games by double digits, and the absence of rugged center Andrew Bogut was a factor.
So it's back to school for the coaching staff and the team. They'll be home for the next 17 days, plenty of time to regroup. Based on their showings in SoCal, they have plenty of work to do refine what remains a quality team.
"We have to do a better job of coaching," Kerr said. "That starts with me, just getting practice time on the floor and executing and making sure we have multiple options with our stuff."
