Steve Kerr on opening night struggles: “This is the reality”

The Warriors coach knows that his team isn’t equipped for success in the way it has been recently.

It’s no secret that the 2019-20 Golden State Warriors are unlike the squads that we’ve seen over the last half decade. Kevin Durant is gone. Klay Thompson is injured.

And perhaps most importantly, the veteran role players are nowhere to be found, replaced instead by rookies and unproven youngsters who are still taking their introductory NBA classes.

There’s no Andre Iguodala. No Shaun Livingston. No David West. No Zaza Pachulia.

As a result, the Warriors have less margin for error. They will likely still be good this year, but, unlike in recent years, there will be the struggles that accompany young players.

That was on display on Thursday, when the Warriors dropped their season opener to the Los Angeles Clippers, 141-122. And while the occasional blowout loss is nothing new, the style in which it occurred was.

After the game, coach Steve Kerr didn’t sugarcoat anything. While maintaining confidence, Kerr mentioned that, “This is not a one-off. This is the reality.”

It doesn’t mean the Warriors will lose more than they win. But there are clearly challenges that this team hasn’t dealt with since before Kerr’s tenure.