Warriors fail to secure 2-0 lead in playoffs for 1st time in Durant era
Since four-time scoring champion Kevin Durant made his move to the Bay Area in 2016, losses for the powerhouse Golden State Warriors in postseason action have been few and far between.
Wednesday's defeat at the Toyota Center in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals against the Houston Rockets was a rare blemish for the defending NBA champions, not just because it was only their fourth defeat in the playoffs in the last two years, but also because of how early it came in the series.
Never before have Durant and the Warriors not been up 2-0 in a best-of-seven matchup. When they fall, it tends to come as part of a gentlemen's sweep after possessing a 3-0 series lead.
| Year | Opponent | Result | First loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | Trail Blazers | 4-0 | N/A |
| - | Jazz | 4-0 | N/A |
| - | Spurs | 4-0 | N/A |
| - | Cavaliers | 4-1 | Game 4 |
| 2017-18 | Spurs | 4-1 | Game 4 |
| - | Pelicans | 4-1 | Game 3 |
| - | Rockets | 1-1 | Game 2 |
(courtesy: Basketball-Reference.com)
Durant outscored his star teammates by himself in Wednesday's 127-105 loss, posting 38 points on 13-of-22 shooting with three makes from behind the arc. The combination of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green only contributed 35 points, missing 25 of their 39 shots.
Game 3 and 4 are at Oracle Arena, where Golden State has yet to drop a postseason game with Durant.