Programming note: Bobcats-Warriors coverage begins on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area with Warriors Pregame Live at 7 p.m. Stick around after the final buzzer for Warriors Postgame Live.
There will be letdowns.
The Golden State Warriors, as good as they’ve been, are still strides away from elite and even the elite teams have disappointments.
After taking their second loss to the Sacramento Kings this season on Wednesday night, the Warriors return home to Oracle tonight to face the Charlotte Bobcats at 7:30 p.m.
Coming off the team’s worst defensive performance of the season in a 131-127 loss to Sacramento, the Warriors will face the Charlotte Bobcats, the league’s worst defensive team.
The Bobcats are ranked dead last in points allowed this season at 104.4 per game. The Warriors are coming off Wednesday night’s season-high in points.
Taking the easy wins
Mark Jackson made it clear the other night that it was ridiculous to think the Warriors were playing down to anyone, noting after the loss to the Kings that his team “can be beaten by the best and can be beaten by the worst.”
Of the Warriors eight losses, five have come to teams with a record of .500 or less.
The Bobcats (7-18) are one of the East's worst teams and have lost 13 consecutive games entering tonight.
“Don’t have an excuse for it,” Klay Thompson said in his postgame interview in Sacramento. “Teams that we know that we’re better than, we’ve beat much better teams, some of the best in the league. So there’s no excuse.
“We’re going to have bad games. It’s a long season. It’s only December. We’re just going to keep our heads up.”
The Warriors are 10-2 against the Eastern Conference this season. A game such as tonight’s at home vs. Charlotte is essential in the Warriors' quest for that elusive spot in the playoffs.
Legs of Harrison Barnes
The enhanced grind of an NBA seasons isn't bothering Harrison Barnes.
Of course it's still early, but the Warriors have played eight of their last nine games on the road. For even young legs, that would seem to be an adjustment for the Warriors' first-round pick.
“It’s definitely easier being young,” the 20-year old Barnes said. “You’re always ready to go, always look forward to the next game. The back-to-backs don’t affect you as much, as you get older it probably has a bigger toll on your body.”
Barnes has averaged just 6.9 points and 3.4 rebounds in 24.1 minutes per game in December. The rookie had averaged 10.4 points and 4.9 rebounds in 28.1 minutes in November.
His last big game came to end the seven-game road trip, in Atlanta, when he scored 19 points on 8-for-14 shooting in 31 minutes.
David Lee keeps rolling
David Lee has a streak of 10 consecutive games with 20 or more points, the longest of his career and active behind only LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.
Lee has been the team’s most consistent player, averaging 19..8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game this season.
Follow @jimmypspencer on Twitter for Warriors news and analysis
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.