Steve Kerr on Warriors' Blowout Loss to Clippers: 'This Is Not a One-Off'

The Golden State Warriors opened their 2019-20 regular season with a 141-122 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night, and head coach Steve Kerr believes the result to be more foreshadowing than a fluke.

"This is not a one-off," Kerr told reporters. "This is the reality. There are going to be nights like this this year."

Kerr added: "This is more the reality of the NBA. The last five years, we've been living in a world that's not supposed to exist. ... Nine guys 23 or younger. We're starting over, in many respects."

The Warriors have appeared in each of the last five NBA Finals, winning three of them. However, the team that took the floor Thursday night is much different than the version that hoisted the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Most notably, Kevin Durant departed for the Brooklyn Nets in free agency this summer, and Klay Thompson is expected to remain sidelined until at least the All-Star break while recovering from a torn ACL. 

Stephen Curry, who led Golden State in scoring with 23 points against the Clippers, and Draymond Green are the other two remaining from that title-winning core. 

"The Clippers are doing to the Warriors tonight what the Warriors used to do to everyone," ESPN's Ramona Shelburne observed during Thursday's contest.

Charles Barkley took it one step further by telling Thompson at halftime that the Warriors won't make the playoffs:

It will surely be an uphill climb for the former juggernaut with a reloaded Western Conference, which Golden State saw firsthand against the revamped Clippers featuring Kawhi Leonard. 

Golden State might be even more depleted moving forward with Green playing through a "nerve issue" in his elbow and Kevon Looney affected by a recurring hamstring ailment.