What we learned from the 123-95 lifeless loss to Thunder

THE SCORE OF THE BOX

OAKLAND – In recent times, every game of the Warriors is a long, slippery track, and they have little to say about it other than the sweat that comes from their efforts.

They lost their fourth straight game on Wednesday night, 123-95, against a team from Oklahoma City Thunder who, frankly, did not play exceptionally well. It's the first four-game defeat under coach Steve Kerr.

Although Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson showed clear signs of a way out of the crisis, the Warriors simply did not do well enough in too many other important areas to find success.

Here are three points to remember from the game that left an exhausted crowd at Oracle Arena in the hope of returning Stephen Curry and Draymond Green:

Jones's struggles were expensive

The Warriors entered the season knowing that recovery could be a problem. This is particularly the case with the departure center Damian Jones.

Jones' coach, bouncing off, leaves the Warriors struggling with a dilemma. Kevon Looney is the best rebounder among the trio of great men in the team, but he's three inches and 20 pounds lighter than Jones, who measures 7 feet and 240 pounds.

Jones played 11 minutes in the first half and did not pick up the rebound. He played 10 minutes in the second half without grabbing one. He finished with a zero for the game, which is terribly insufficient under all circumstances, but especially when Steven Adams, Oklahoma City's big man, lost 11 points, with two equal teammates.

Coaches and teammates begged Jones to bring more rebounding spirit. Jones promised to improve. He did not do it and it was painfully obvious in this game.

They punished themselves with turnovers

The Warriors have a hard time winning when they are without Curry and Green. It's virtually impossible when they insist as much on helping their opponents as they did on Wednesday.

For the third time in six games, the Warriors have awarded their opponents at least 20 points back. OKC scored 24 points on 17 Warriors turnovers – most out of live combat.

Most of the Warriors' return attempts, and many of them, resulted in a series of turnarounds leading directly to the Thunder baskets.

When you lose the battle of the glass – 61-42 in this case – it is extremely important to limit the numbers of business. The warriors did not do it and they paid the price.

Durant and Thompson warm up

Durant has scored 27 points on 11 out of 22 shots, for the first time since at least 50% since winning the Brooklyn Nets on November 10th. Durant added 14 rebounds, a high point in the game.

Thompson also scored 27 points, out of 10 shots out of 22, including 3 out of 8 over the arc. It was his best shooting performance since, yes, November 10 against Brooklyn.

The problem in attack was, for the most part, their teammates. The rest of the warriors gathered to shoot 15 of the 39 (38.5%). Damion Lee, with 13 points out of 5 shots out of 11, was pretty much the only support for scoring given to Durant and Thompson.