Warriors grapple with ‘real NBA’ after blowout loss to Lakers on Christmas

For the previous four seasons, the Warriors have enjoyed a basketball utopia in which All-Stars are selfless, championships are expected and dazzling sequences are commonplace. But over the past two months, as mounting losses punctured Golden State's air of invincibility, head coach Steve Kerr took to reminding fans that this charmed era was somewhat deceiving. After almost a half-decade of dominance, the Warriors are finally enduring what Kerr calls "the real NBA." In Tuesday night's 127-101 loss to the Lakers at Oracle Arena, Golden State got a heavy dose of reality, saving one of its ugliest performances in years for Christmas, the flagship day of the NBA regular season.