SAN FRANCISCO _ Spectators filled nearly every courtside seat Tuesday night in Chase Center, Golden State's brand-new waterfront arena. They watched opposing players slice nearly unimpeded to the rim, and the young, brittle Warriors lose their league-high 26th home game of the season.
In some ways the night, a 131-107 L.A. Clippers beat down, felt like any other here this season.
But around and above the action at court level, it was obvious this was anything but, as the reach of the novel coronavirus continued to leave its mark on the San Francisco Bay Area, a hotspot for COVID-19, and the NBA.
Thousands of black T-shirts draped over the arena's seats as part of a giveaway sat unclaimed amid a sparse crowd. Locker rooms were open to only essential team employees, by decree of the NBA, for the first time. Golden State officials have begun leaving doors open inside their offices to keep players and coaches from touching handles.
"It's brand new and it's strange and I don't know really what to think," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "Even in just everyday life, visiting with friends gathering and it's awkward. You don't shake hands, you are doing the Bash Brothers things. How are we supposed to act? It's all very strange and awkward."
Fans who opted to stay home, whether out of concern surrounding the virus or a lack of interest in seeing a mismatch between teams at opposite ends of the Western Conference standings, missed little.
Leading by 28 at halftime and 24 by the third quarter's end, the Clippers (44-20) were never challenged despite missing third-leading scorer Lou Williams, who did not play because of a sore right calf. Kawhi Leonard scored a team-high 23 points in 25 minutes and six other Clippers scored in double figures, led by 16 off the bench by guard Reggie Jackson.
The Clippers made 20 of their 44 three-pointers, the third time in franchise history and second time this season they made at least that many. The victory was the 938th of coach Doc Rivers' career, tying him with Red Auerbach for 11th on the all-time coaching victories list.
The rout was a much-needed rebound for the Clippers, whose six-game winning streak was snapped two days earlier when the West-leading L.A. Lakers separated themselves during the fourth quarter. Paul George, who had begun that game aggressively, attempted only two fourth-quarter shots.
George started much the same Tuesday, ripping past defenders into unoccupied space around the rim for 12 points in his first seven minutes. But this time, his presence wasn't needed in the fourth quarter. When he checked out for the final time with 4 minutes, 18 seconds to play in the third quarter, he had 15 points and the Clippers led 96-65.
The last time these teams met, on Oct. 24, thunderous noise opened the first regular-season game ever held in the arena. Tuesday's atmosphere, at times, sounded like a golf tournament. Leonard, who toppled the Warriors dynasty last June in the NBA Finals with Toronto, received a few, faint "MVP" chants. Even the jeers for Clippers guard Patrick Beverley, typically a lightning rod of criticism whenever he plays on the road, received only half-hearted boos during the first quarter.
The rout was one-sided enough that TNT, broadcasting the game to a national audience, cut into a tighter Lakers-Nets matchup in Los Angeles midway through the fourth quarter.
The Warriors roster, already thin with guard Stephen Curry missing a second consecutive game because of the flu, lost starting forward Juan Toscano-Anderson to a sprained ankle only 50 seconds into the game and played a matador-style of defense that allowed 76 first-half points, the second-most scored by the Clippers at halftime this season.
Dragan Bender scored 23 points to lead the Warriors.
With Williams out, reserve guard Landry Shamet played 10 minutes in the first half and 27 overall, his most minutes since Jackson joined the rotation Feb. 20.
