Meltdown. Collapse. Embarrassment.
Look up any of those words in the dictionary and the Warriors' Game 2 performance against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night should come to mind.
The two-time defending NBA champions held a 31-point lead with eight minutes to go in the third quarter, but they weren't able to finish the deal and take a 2-0 series lead to Los Angeles.
Instead, the Clippers ended the third quarter on a 36-12 run and trailed by just 14 heading into the fourth.
Out of their rhythm and lacking focus, the Warriors continued to turn the ball over and leave the door open for the Clippers. It was an opportunity Doc Rivers' club was all too happy to take advantage of, with Landry Shamet knocking down a game-winning 3-pointer with 16 seconds to play to give the Clippers a 135-131 win.
So, how exactly did the Warriors blow the biggest lead in postseason history? One word: Arrogance.
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Former Warrior Stephen Jackson went on FOX Sports 1's "First Things First" and explained how the Warriors cockiness allowed the Clippers to hang around, and LA's collection of gritty role players did the rest.
"The Warriors got too cocky and thought the Clippers were gonna lay down. I pray I have a team full of guys like Montrezl, Lou Williams, and Patrick Beverely, that love the game and don't care who's in front of them. That's what Doc Rivers has, they didn't quit." - @DaTrillStak5 pic.twitter.com/0Dsd34tCws— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) April 16, 2019
Stack Jack has a point.
The Warriors are well aware of the talent disparity in the series and it's caused them to play careless basketball for long stretches of both Games 1 and 2, believing that, in the end, their talent will win out.
It likely will in this series, but the Dubs must clean their play up and find renewed focus as the playoffs wear on.
[RELATED: Steph explains how Warriors unraveled in Game 2]
The Warriors first task should be dispatch the pesky Clippers as soon as possible.
Blowing the 31-point lead already made sure the series will go three days longer, and the Warriors need to make sure it goes no further than Game 5. With the Houston Rockets potentially waiting in the wins in the Western Conference semifinals, the Warriors will want to get all the rest they can before that slugfest.
