OKLAHOMA CITY _ It's been a frustrating start to the season for the Warriors.
The Warriors lost 120-92 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, starting the season with two straight losses. Frustrations boiled over in a game that, like the opening night loss to the Clippers, was out of reach early. During the game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr kicked the scorer's table and guard Stephen Curry debated a technical all before guard D'Angelo Russell was ejected in the third quarter for a verbal tirade directed at an official.
Golden State fell behind 15-3 early, with Curry being the only Warriors player to score by the first break in the game midway through the first quarter. By halftime, the Warriors were down 70-37 and trailed by as many as 42 points.
The poor shooting that plagued the Warriors against the Clippers last Thursday continued, with the team shooting just 32.6% overall and missing 28 of their 33 3-point attempts. Defense was again an issue, with the Thunder shooting 55.7% overall and 46.9% beyond the arc.
Without centers Kevon Looney (hamstring) and Willie Cauley-Stein (foot), the Warriors started Marquese Chriss at center and struggled to keep the Thunder away from the rim, giving up 46 points in the paint.
Curry finished with 23 points, eight rebounds and five assists in 30 minutes. Forward Draymond Green had 10 points, six rebounds and two assists in 24 minutes. Both were pulled out of the game in the fourth quarter. Chriss had 10 points, four rebounds and three assists in his first start of the season.
After trading stars Russell Westbrook and Paul George over the summer, the revamped Thunder entered the game 0-2 with the worst-rated offense in the league. Guard Dennis Schroder and forward Danilo Galinari led the offensive surge with 22 points and 21 points respectively. Second-year guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander _ the centerpiece of the trade that sent George to the L.A. Clippers _ had 19 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
This was the first game of a back-to-back set for the Warriors, who travel to New Orleans to face the Pelicans on Monday.
