The Golden State Warriors got embarrassed on opening night, losing to the San Antonio Spurs 129-100 at home, of all places, where they had a 39-2 record last season.
Not even the Spurs players expected to win by that much.
“If there was an outcome I wasn’t expecting, it was this one,” Spurs guard Manu Ginobili told reporters after the game. “A 29-point lead against a team like them? I truly didn’t expect it.”
Kevin Durant, in his long-awaited Warriors debut, had a team-high 27 points and reigning MVP Stephen Curry added 26 points. Meanwhile, the other half of Golden State’s so-called super team, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, combined for 29 points.
Tuesday’s loss struck a chord with the players, even Durant, who despite a good game didn’t get the win.
“It’s a slap in the face, Durant told reporters after the game. “It woke us up a bit, and we’re looking forward to getting better.”
“There’s a lot of energy in the building. It was a lot before the game. Guys may have been a little tense, but hey, that’s NBA basketball.”
It’s just one game, but the Warriors are expected to be top-performing team in the NBA this season, and losing by 29 in the first game of the season is not acceptable for a starting lineup loaded with All-Stars. But maybe Durant is right. This loss could be the slap in the face the Warriors need to wake up.
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