Every three or four weeks this season, the Warriors take the court and look as if they’d rather be elsewhere.
That was the case Tuesday night in Salt Lake City, where they trailed all 48 minutes en route to being clobbered 129-99 by the Utah Jazz.
Klay Thompson scored a game-high 27 points, while Kevin Durant put in 17. Stephen Curry and JaVale McGee each finished with 14.
Playing defense with a level of indifference not often seen since the Don Nelson years, the Warriors (40-11) earned every bit of this blowout. Utah shot 58.2 percent from the field, including 50 percent from deep.
STANDOUT PERFORMER: With Jordan Bell and Kevon Looney unavailable, the Warriors brought McGee out of mothballs. On a night when none of the team’s four All-Stars finished better than Thompson’s minus-15, the veteran center’s work stood out as the lone positive.
McGee’s line: 14 points (7-of-8 shooting from the field), four rebounds and two blocked shots. He played 16 minutes and finished minus-11.
TURNING POINT: After the Warriors closed within three, 38-35, on a David West jumper with 10:20 left in the second quarter, the Jazz went on a 10-3 run to go up 48-38 on a Ricky Rubio layup with 7:51 left in the quarter.
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The Warriors trailed by 13 at the half (69-56) and by 18 entering the fourth quarter (103-85), during which Utah simply ran them off the floor.
INJURY REPORT: Warriors: F Jordan Bell (L ankle inflammation) and F Kevon Looney (flu-like symptoms) were listed as out. C Damian Jones is on assignment with the G-League Santa Cruz Warriors.
Jazz: G Dante Exum (L shoulder surgery), G Rodney Hood (L lower leg contusion) and G Thabo Sefolosha (R knee surgery) were listed as out.
WHAT’S NEXT: The Warriors return to the court Friday night in Sacramento, where they face the Kings at Golden 1 Center. Coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 6:30, with tipoff scheduled for 7:35.
